An Alliance of Traitors
by Casa Circe
Summary: Sequel to "Sojourn in Solitude".In the final weeks before Aang's showdown with the Fire Lord,a series of unexpected events take their toll on everyone involved.Ancient powers are summoned, great sacrifices are made, and nothing will ever be the same.
1. Prologue

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender" – among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**PROLOGUE**

The man turned sharply around, his eyes wide in fear, and a shiver going down his spine. But there was no one there, only the shadows of the trees whose branches danced in the moonlight. There was no other sound but the rustling of the leaves against the breeze and the occasional hoot of a night owl. Everything in this darkness seemed to be in perfect harmony and he felt that he was somehow an intruder in this idyllic place. It was eerie to find such peace in a land that was plagued with war and turmoil.

But this was no time to be contemplative. Sighing with relief at the assurance that he wasn't being followed, the stranger continued his solitary march through the woods. He mentally estimated the length of time he had been gone and concluded that it had been approximately two hours since he had left the encampment under the cover of night. The current watch man was probably still gulping down the fire whiskey from the bottle that he had inconspicuously left by the watch tower. No one would have noticed his absence yet and he doubted that anyone would. Even when he was present, he was mostly ignored anyway. All the same, he needed to return to the camp before dawn. But hopefully, this little midnight stroll would not be for naught.

As he passed through the woods, the soldier tried to remember why he had set out on this risky escapade in the first place. His position in society was relatively secure and the Fire Nation's victory is practically a certainty considering the elaborate preparations and plans the Fire Lord and his military officials had been implementing lately. They, the citizens of the Fire Nation, were constantly reminded of the imminent success of their campaign and the triumphant end of the war. Princess Azula's spies in Ba Sing Se continued to transmit vital inside information on the enemy's plans and everything was going very, very smoothly. It was two days before the solar eclipse, the second darkest day in Fire Nation history, and all firebenders had finished the necessary preparations. Even without the benefit of their bending, firebenders were skilled in other defensive arts and even an attack by earthbenders and waterbenders had been well planned for. The strategies were dynamic and flexible, to give allowance for "the element of surprise" that enemies of the Fire Nation were constantly depending on.

As for the Avatar and his allies, the Fire Lord had declared that he was more than ready to face the master of all elements. In fact, based on how the nation's leader and the princess were behaving, it seemed that they were challenging the young airbender to attack them. The destined confrontation between the Fire Lord and the Avatar had been long anticipated and in spite of all the beliefs that the Avatar would defeat Ozai, it seemed that the latter was not the least bit threatened.

There had been much talk going around among the soldiers about an ancient and astounding power that the Fire Lord had discovered long before the Avatar had been confirmed alive. In all likelihood, Fire Lord Ozai would draw great and unimaginable strength from this mysterious source which even the Avatar could never harness even if he mastered all the four elements. The exact nature of this "ancient power source" was mostly speculation but there had been sightings of strange, inexplicable events occurring in the heart of the Fire Nation Royal Palace and a special, top-secret regiment had been formed specifically to deal with these mysterious occurrences.

And yet, despite all these assurances of complete victory, there had been a nagging voice in the soldier's ear that told him that the Fire Lord would not succeed in his plans. The man couldn't find any flaws in the military strategies or in the logistical preparations for the invasion and the eclipse, but he nevertheless had a hunch that something was bound to go very, very wrong. Everything seemed like a mere façade for a more sinister undertaking that would not benefit the Fire Nation citizens at all. He dared not voice his opinions about the matter, of course. That would be a very, very stupid, not to mention dangerous, thing to do especially in these precarious times.

There had been rumors going around that he, through his expertise at remaining inconspicuous and invisible around others, had heard which had only strengthened his suspicions about the Fire Lord's seemingly flawless plans for the future. There had been whispers in the darkest alleys, in the most hidden corners of the city, about murderous plots, treacherous acts, and the mysterious whereabouts of the Fire Lord's banished son. No one had seen or heard from Prince Zuko ever since he miraculously escaped from captivity in the Crystal Catacombs of Ba Sing Se. Princess Azula's spies had given reports on some of former general Iroh's activities and it had been confirmed that the Dragon of the West was indeed aiding the Avatar in his campaign against the Fire Lord. But as to the prince's role in the coming weeks, no one was quite certain. Many suspected that Zuko was dead but there was nothing to substantiate such a claim. Others suspected that he too supported the Avatar but many argued that this seemed an action so contradictory to the prince's nature, since Zuko had always relentlessly pursued the Avatar, eager to capture the airbender to restore his honor. Other people speculated that Prince Zuko might be acting as a double agent for his father by pretending to befriend the Avatar only to betray the latter at the crucial moment. And based on the latest reports of Princess Azula's spies in Ba Sing Sewhich the soldier had found remarkable access to, even the Avatar himself has not been seen or heard from in the past few weeks. But again, nothing was certain.

But even more suspicious were Princess Azula's recent actions. Because of her successful infiltration of Ba Sing Se, she had acquired a rather extensive network of loyal spies who were able to acquire information from all corners of the Four Nations. Despite her failure to capture the most powerful fortress in the Earth Kingdom, she was still able to maintain some control of the city from the inside. And from what the soldier had heard from the whispers, not all of the information contained in the spies' reports was reaching the Fire Lord. Apparently, the princess was keeping certain things to herself, for some ulterior motive of her own. And aside from spies, Princess Azula seemed to be assembling a formidable group of fighters, consisting even of earthbenders and some renegade waterbenders as well as mercenaries from the coast, to serve as a personal army. Why she would need such military support when the Fire Nation clearly had more than enough skilled soldiers and she herself was a formidable fighter could only be speculated on. Whatever her reasons, Princess Azula was surely going to stir some trouble. And that wasn't an especially comforting thought, for anyone.

The Fire Lord himself seemed suspicious of his favorite child and the soldier had heard from certain loquacious courtiers that Ozai was rather disappointed in his daughter for her failure to capture the Avatar and invade Ba Sing Se. On face value, it didn't look like Azula was losing favor with her father. He continued to bestow the same honors on her which he had denied her brother and she didn't seem to be suffering from even the slightest punishment despite her failures. But the Fire Lord had lost some of his trust in his extremely talented daughter and it was said that he was withholding some information even from her.

The lone soldier continued his walk, mulling all these things over, and with the recollection of these suspicious events and not to mention other ominous occurrences that had been reported from various Fire Nation outposts, his resolve was strengthened. All of this was an elaborate masquerade and he did not intend to be caught in the crossfire in the event of the slightest mishap. Luckily (he hoped), he had come up with a back up plan.

Among the many conversations he had expertly eavesdropped on was one about a gathering faction of rebels in the northern mountains. These rebels were not the usual bandits or Fire Nation army deserters or passionate malcontents. According to the rumors, this nameless group of fighters was a highly organized group of experts and that this secret sect was extremely selective about membership. No one knew exactly who the members of this organization were and according to more rumors, even the members themselves were not well acquainted with each other. Most of the information was very vague and many people who heard about this mysterious group of rebels dismissed the idea as propaganda, hearsay, and even superstition. For it was whispered by some of the more bizarre gossips that these rebels actually had ties to the various spirits that haunted the Four Nations and even the Avatar seemed unaware of their existence. There were no indications that they were allies of the airbender although they were supporting his cause.

Any reasonable individual would dismiss all these speculations as baseless, ridiculous rumors but this soldier had found reason to believe in the existence of this rebel group, reasons that he was reluctant to divulge at present. Suffice to say that he was not usually an impulsive fellow and it would take the greatest and most convincing of arguments and evidences for him to even think about daring to step out of the comfort zone of the army. But as things stood, he had sneaked out of his encampment in order to seek out the mysterious rebel faction.

His information was that recruitment for this group happened in the dead of night in the middle of the thickest woods. Another proof of the unquantifiable but real threat posed by these enigmatic rebels was the fact that the Fire Lord had ordered various regiments to set up encampments on the edge or in the vicinity of these woods, to try and monitor "suspicious activities." But the soldier was not very worried about detection. Contrary to the belief that the members of the Fire Nation army were some of the most ruthless and fearless fighters in the Four Nations, the men in his regiment were actually some of the most spineless and superstitious. They feared to go within meters of the woods, tales of malevolent spirits, vicious wild animals, and all sorts of murderous mythological creatures were enough to make them keep their distance. And that was what made it so easy for him to escape.

But his problem now was to find the rebels. He was certain that they were here, somewhere. They were also probably aware of his presence and they were merely waiting for a moment to strike. He realized what a hare-brained idea it was to go here alone, unarmed, and with very mediocre firebending skills. But he was determined to try to convince them of his reliability.

He pushed a branch out of his way and stepped into a small clearing, illuminated by the moon light. He looked around him, trying to sense the presence of others but then, he immediately stopped. He had never been very good at that sort of thing so it was rather pointless to even try. But despite this, he always had very good hunches which were inexplicable but rather effective. And right now, he had one of those remarkable hunches that he was surrounded by those he had sought out.

Realizing that this was probably his only chance to make his intentions known to the rebels who right now might be aiming their arrows at his heart, the lone soldier took a deep breath and stood up straight. A slight breeze blew through the trees and the silence that followed the rustling of the leaves was eerily deafening. He raised his arms in a gesture of surrender. But he willed himself to be brave, or at least daring enough to speak.

"I know you're out there," he said in a shaky but firm voice, "and I want to join you."

There was no response and the uncanny silence continued. The soldier was feeling both silly and nervous, to be addressing invisible people. He wasn't much of a talker and he found it rather challenging to compose a speech of this importance. But he also knew that it was important for him to prove that he was trustworthy.

"Please don't be deceived by this Fire Nation armor that I'm wearing," he continued saying, "I have not come here to try and subdue you. I doubt that that is even possible. And besides, I didn't bring any reinforcements. I come unarmed and I am a very poor firebender." To demonstrate his last statement he performed one of the most basic firebending motions – punching the air with flames coming from his fists and showed how weak and small the fires from his hands were.

And still, there was no response from any part of the forest. He sighed and continued talking, growing uncomfortable with every passing moment.

"I belong to the army but I do not believe in its cause," he said with conviction, "the Fire Lord is planning something evil and I don't think it has anything to do with ending the war. Personally, I don't like the war. I think it's a bloody nuisance and a lot of imperialist rubbish. I'm not old enough to know about the days of peace in the Four Nations prior to the reign of Fire Lord Sozin, but I have heard stories about that time and I wish to go back to it, if that is remotely possible."

Again, only the rustling of the leaves and the chirping of crickets could be heard. The soldier gave another big sigh.

"Listen, I'm not very good at this speech-giving thing, and I don't really know the requirements of your group," he rambled, "and all I do know is that I want to join you. I've seen what you have achieved in your secretive ways and I am really impressed. And though this may seem rather strange, I believe that you are doing a more effective job of stopping the Fire Lord than even the Avatar is doing."

At the last sentence, the soldier felt a sudden movement of the earth beneath his feet and before he knew it, the ground had shifted and had thrown him face first on the ground. He scrambled to get up and began to dust his armor and spit out some grass that he had unwittingly swallowed. But he was content. It seemed that the rebels were finally responding to his cause somehow.

"Please," he entreated once more, "I know I don't look like much but I can act as a spy for you. I can give you inside information on all the Fire Lord's plans and strategies. Heck, I can even tell you what he had for breakfast this morning."

To his relief and joy, he heard soft snickers coming from the trees. He now realized that he had finally gotten to them. He looked around but still saw no one. So he waited patiently, wringing his hands in anticipation.

"Is that it?" came a deep voice from somewhere in the forest. And again, no matter in what direction he looked, he could see no sign of anyone's presence.

Realizing that it was pointless to try and detect whoever had spoken, the soldier simply muttered a nervous "yes".

And then, there was another movement of the earth and without warning, his legs were covered in a thick and sturdy layer of earth, effectively pinning him to the ground. No matter how much he struggled, he couldn't break away. This was followed by a pair of earth shackles which seemingly flew out of nowhere and clamped themselves on his wrists. And even as his movement was impaired, someone came up from behind him and placed a very thick blindfold over his eyes.

"Boy," he commented, "you guys are careful."

"We need to be," replied a low voice, "I'm sure you understand."

The soldier nodded vigorously. He tried to make out the gender of the speaker but it was difficult to tell because the voice was effectively disguised. So he decided to simply trust those who addressed him and to hope for the best.

"You are extremely brave to venture out into the woods all by yourself," the voice told him, in a tone of slight amusement, "I don't think your comrades would have even dreamt of facing the demons that haunt this forest."

"I'm not very superstitious," the soldier replied curtly.

"Ah, but you are wily," replied the strange voice, "we have all been aware of your presence for some time now. And in fact, our scouts have been following you ever since you entered the forest."

The blindfolded man gave a gasp of surprise but said nothing. But he had a hunch that whoever was talking to him was now smiling with more amusement.

"It should come as a relief, you know," continued the voice, "that your paranoia was not unfounded."

At this, the man heard a few soft snorts from one direction in the forest but he decided to ignore them.

"Anyway, time is of the essence," said the voice, on a more serious tone, "so let's get down to business. You say you want to join us. That is a very audacious claim but we have heard our fair share of those. You, at least, have been completely honest with us up to this point so we're willing to give you a chance. But if you feel in the least bit threatened or doubtful, tell me so right now. This will be your final opportunity to back out, and live."

The soldier gulped but muttered that he was determined to see his decision through.

"Choose your words carefully, stranger," the voice warned him, "for we have ways of knowing whether or not you are telling us the truth."

The nervous man nodded and waited for the unknown person to continue questioning him.

"First off, joining us is a risky business, as you may well be aware," explained the voice, "and as much as possible, we don't want any innocent people to be involved. So, do you have any family members or friends to whom we should extend our protection?"

"I have no family to speak of," replied the soldier truthfully.

"That's quite convenient," the voice answered but not sarcastically, "you volunteered your service as a spy for us. Do you have any experience in that particular field?"

The soldier hesitated slightly but then decided that eavesdropping on many conversations didn't exactly qualify as "spy experience."

"Unfortunately not," he answered.

"So why suggest yourself for that? Do you have any particular talents that might recommend you for such a job?"

"Well," the soldier said rather sheepishly, "I can be very inconspicuous and no one really notices me much. I also have a forgettable face and so it's easy for me to eavesdrop on conversations. And I'm a good listener. At least, I'd like to believe that I am."

"Those are useful skills, and are well worth our consideration, I am sure. I am also certain that you did not come here empty handed. You have information that you want to trade for our trust in you."

The blindfolded man looked surprised at this but had to admit that he was going to use all he knew as a bargaining chip for membership, although the opportunity had not yet presented itself a few minutes ago. And he knew that it was pointless for him to deny anything so he decided to divulge all of the information he had accumulated from all his eavesdropping and intercepting of official reports. He had done his fair share of investigating the truths behind the various rumors so he was able to give some credible information to the unknown leader of the rebel group.

The whole time he was talking, the faceless leader said nothing and seemed to be listening intently to his every word. The stranger also seemed to be weighing whether some of what he said was worth believing. But as he spoke, he was never interrupted and he figured that whatever means they had of determining his honesty was quite effective. And he was careful not to twist the truth even in the slightest. He concluded his sharing of information and waited patiently for the leader or interrogator to address him once again.

"You have given us much to think about," said the voice, still in an unidentifiable tone, "and we are definitely grateful to you for all this information. Perhaps you do have potential as an asset of our organization."

"So you'll let me in?" the soldier asked with rude frankness. Realizing his mistake, he quickly apologized.

"Not quite," replied the voice, "although you have been completely honest about the things you said earlier, some of us still feel that you are leaving certain things out."

The soldier was about to protest but he thought better of it. He was leaving certain things out but it would not do at all to lie to these people about it. His life was on the line for this and he didn't want to mess it up.

"I'm taking your silence as a yes," continued the voice, "and I'm glad that you seem to understand that there will be consequences if we learn that you are lying to us about anything. If you don't want to tell us all you know, fine. I will let it go for now because I think you may prove to be quite useful to us. But I must ask you certain questions now which I want you to answer as truthfully as you can. Is that understood?"

"Yes," he replied eagerly but solemnly.

"First, are you a traitor to the Fire Nation?"

He gave it some thought before answering, "No."

"And why not? You are going against the Fire Lord."

"The Fire Lord is not the Fire Nation," he replied simply.

"Very impressive," praised the voice, "next, why did you not decide to join the Avatar?"

"I don't think the efforts of a twelve-year old child, no matter how talented, will be enough to stop the Fire Lord."

"That's an honest enough answer. Some of us will disagree with you there but it is important that you tell us the truth. Lastly, are you ready to sacrifice everything, even your own life and identity, in order for us to succeed?"

At this the soldier gulped and thought long and hard. But he had known all the risks involved in this endeavor long before he had decided to even go through with it. So he answered, with conviction, that he was ready.

"That will do for now," said the voice, "we will confer on how much of the organization we will actually reveal to you but for now, simply wait for us to get in touch with you."

"Thank you very much," the soldier replied with a sigh of infinite relief, "this means a lot to me."

"I'm sure," the voice said curtly, "but there's one other thing I want to ask you before we let you go."

"What is it?"

"Did anyone from your regiment follow you here?"

"No," he replied calmly, "no one even knows I snuck out."

It was then that the earth shackles tightened around his wrist and he felt an armor of earth cover the rest of his body until his neck. He began to tremble violently, wondering what had gone wrong and he even had the frightening notion that maybe he had not met the rebels after all and instead, had come upon Princess Azula's spies. And then, another voice spoke up, one that was distinctly female and seemed to belong to a very young girl.

"You're not lying," she said, "but neither is that the truth."

_And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen, the prologue to the sequel to "Sojourn in Solitude". The main cast (with certain exceptions whom I will not mention) do not make their formal appearance here because this is an expository chapter to sort of give the setting for the story from an outsider's perspective The soldier for now will remain unnamed but he will play a small but pivotal role in the story. But that should be a surprise. And just in case you're wondering, the secret rebel sect he approached is NOT the Order of the White Lotus. I just needed to clear that up._

_This is going to be a different kind of story in terms of tone and style. A lot more characters will be involved so it will be on a larger scale and the plot will be a lot more complicated. It doesn't help that I will be competing with the actual (and surely awesome) Avatar season finale so I will only say that this will be a different ending that cannot compare to the canon ending but will hopefully be interesting on a fanon level. Please do not hesitate to give me suggestions and feedback. Unfortunately, the updates will not come as frequently as they did for "Sojourn" because I have tons more school work now and my schedule is pretty much jam packed. So the story will definitely not finish before the actual Avatar finale and I will completely understand if you lose interest after that. Nevertheless, this sequel has been requested by my good friends and I am doing everything in my power to make it worth your while. Thank you very much._


	2. Part One, Chapter 1

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender" – among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

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**CHAPTER ONE**

"You're late," Sokka scolded, his hands folded, his foot tapping impatiently on the ground.

Smoothly, the young Avatar slid down the furry back of his sky bison and landed securely on the ground. He smiled brightly at his friends who had assembled on the beach of a crescent-shaped island they had chosen as their rendez-vous point. Sokka had a serious frown on his face as he held a long scroll with a detailed time table of the invasion plans. But Aang knew that despite his stern expression, Sokka was glad to see his old friend. Beside the Water Tribe Warrior stood Aang's waterbending master Katara, as well as the Avatar's earthbending master, Toph.

"Ignore Sokka, Aang," Toph told the Avatar with a roguish grin, "he thinks that he has more on his mind than the rest of us."

"Welcome back, Aang," Katara said excitedly, immediately approaching the young Avatar and enclosing him in a warm embrace. Aang returned the hug with a smile.

"Well, it's good to have you back," Sokka commented, ruining the tender moment, as was his habit, and eager to have things move according to his rigid and rather unfeasible schedule. But the Water Tribe Warrior indeed meant well and the Avatar did not fault him for it. Instead, Aang merely gave Sokka a wink and a nod.

Katara promptly hit Sokka on the head for being so insensitive.

"We haven't seen Aang for a few weeks and this is the welcome you give him," the waterbender reprimanded her wincing brother.

"Lighten up, Sokka," Toph added, "delaying your schedule by a few hours won't mean the end of the world."

Sokka grew slightly nervous at this last statement and immediately started glancing at the long and colorful scroll that served as his timetable for the coming weeks. All at once, he started fretting over adjusting bathroom breaks and meal times much to Toph's annoyance. Katara simply rolled her eyes and gave a meaningful glance at Aang, who grinned back at her with his childlike exuberance.

"It's good to be back," Aang finally said, glancing around at the company of his closest friends. After his special journey to the ancient source of firebending and the secret realm of the Sun Warriors, he had grown more confident of his own firebending skills. And with everything quickly coming to a head, he was less afraid of the work to be done. Somehow, he knew that things would work out not only because of his mastering the four elements but also because of the presence of a very capable group of friends.

The latest addition to the aforementioned group of friends was now just sliding off Appa. In a moment, the former prince of the Fire Nation had descended from the back of the sky bison and Zuko was now making his presence known.

Aang looked back at his new friend with a smile of pride and camaraderie. After Iroh's vouching for his nephew as well as Katara's good report of Zuko, and not to mention endorsement by Zuko's very own mother, and Aang's individual experience with the young firebender, the Avatar now had absolutely no doubt about Zuko's loyalties. And about the strength of the firebender's heart.

The separation of the few weeks had seemed especially hard on Katara since she and Zuko had barely any opportunity of being together after their return from a seemingly long and interesting sojourn on a mysterious island. Apparently, the two bending masters had come to a very intimate understanding in the latter part of their temporary exile but immediately after reaching such satisfactory terms, they had been whisked back to the life they had temporarily escaped. And of course, after that, there was much to do and both had to set aside their personal preferences in order to help in Aang's campaign against the Fire Lord.

Nevertheless, the feelings related on that fateful night before their return did not die or waver in the least. On the contrary, these emotions strengthened as time passed. And now, finally seeing each other again after a relatively long absence (considering how long they had lived under the same roof together back on the island), Zuko and Katara were speechless in each other's presence. So overwhelmed were they with emotion (and so inexperienced Zuko was in expressing such powerful feelings) that for a first few moments they simply stood staring at each other as if dumbfounded.

During this time, they were quite unaware of the attention the others were paying to them. Aang was looking at the two with a content and peaceful expression on his face. A few weeks ago, seeing Katara looking at Zuko in such a way (and vice versa) would have given him a slight pang of jealousy. But Aang was soon able to accept this new development in his friends' life because of the peace and fullness of spirit he had attained in order to master the Avatar state. And furthermore, the young Avatar realized that there was no greater pleasure than seeing two of the dearest people in his life so completely and beautifully happy. Then, he was able to be glad that those two found each other and he was now eager to see them express their true feelings.

Toph, on the other hand, was getting rather impatient. She had known about Zuko and Katara's relationship earlier than anyone else in the group, due to her amazing ability to detect heartbeats. She was extremely happy for them but she was also rather frustrated by their hesitation and awkwardness. Shaking her head in slight annoyance, Toph quickly moved one of her feet, earthbending Katara forward and almost straight into Zuko's arms.

Katara looked back at Toph with a small glare to which the earthbender shrugged.

"I don't even know what you guys are waiting for," Toph commented, to which Aang nodded, smiling at the flushed Zuko and Katara.

The waterbender turned her head to face Zuko. And then, she immediately threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. He returned the gesture and finally relaxed, feeling completely happy just standing there with her. After a few blissful moments, Katara backed away slightly and gazed at Zuko's face. She tilted her head and moved her face towards his.

But they had forgotten the presence of one other person in the group. Sokka pushed himself in between Zuko and Katara, disrupting yet another tender moment that morning. The Water Tribe Warrior muttered something sticking to the schedule which only elicited glares from everyone else in the group because they all knew that his interruption this time was not about keeping to the schedule at all.

Understandably, of all the members of the Avatar's surrogate family, Sokka was the one who found it hardest to accept that his very own sister was in love with their former enemy. It was hard enough to stomach the idea of accepting Zuko into their group even after all the recommendations by Zuko's uncle, mother, and Katara herself. Sokka, after all, believed himself to be a reasonable person and such a drastic change to all their old plans didn't sit very well with him. So until now, he was still slightly opposed to the idea of Zuko and Katara being together and tried his best to hinder them from spending time together. However, Sokka was not so disillusioned to think that he could do anything to alter his sister's feelings for the firebender. Even stubborn, hard-headed Sokka knew that attempting such a task would be a losing battle. After all, he and Katara had the same stubborn genes. Nevertheless, it was difficult for Sokka to see those two together and everyone was quite understanding about it.

Agreeing that this was not the appropriate time or venue for any display of affections, Zuko and Katara simply glanced at each other before releasing the embrace. In spite of all his unnecessary persistence, Sokka was still right about time being of the essence. So they all set out making the necessary preparations for their upcoming trip to the capital of the Fire Nation.

"So, Aang," Toph began, as they were readying their equipment, "how was your trip to the source of all firebending?"

"Unexpectedly enriching," Aang replied, "Zuko and I found the remains of the famed civilization of the Sun Warriors and we got to learn so many new firebending forms. There's especially one that was extremely useful. Zuko and I have to do it together. It's really impressive."

Knowing what Aang was referring to, Zuko cringed and made some hints to the Avatar about the slightly embarrassing nature of the "Dancing Dragon." Of course, Aang completely ignored these hints, and even went so far as suggesting a demonstration

"I'm sure you learned a lot of neat tricks from your trip," Sokka interrupted in a hasty tone, much to Zuko's relief, "but we don't really have any time for a demonstration right now. We're running late as it is."

"You're right," Aang conceded in a slightly disappointed tone, "but there was one other thing that I'd like to tell you about even very briefly."

Hearing this, Zuko looked at Aang with a grave expression. The firebender was surprised that the Avatar would bring this up so early in their arrival.

"Fine," Sokka agreed, "but don't take more than five minutes explaining it."

"Don't worry, Sokka," Aang replied with a smile, "I only have to show you something really mysterious."

And from his tunic, Aang brought out a small rolled item. Unrolling what was a small piece of cloth with a strange woven pattern on it. Zuko narrowed his eyes, having already seen this item, while Sokka and Katara went closer to Aang to get a closer look at the piece of cloth.

Toph folded her arms and tapped her one of her feet.

"Somebody had better tell me what that thing is," Toph said in a rather annoyed tone. She could never figure out how or why people forgot that she was blind. But then again, she was never really helpless (far from it) so perhaps people sometimes really did forget. She decided that she wasn't offended at all and simply waited for someone to answer.

After staring at the embroidered pattern for a few moments, Sokka reached a conclusion.

"It's a key," Sokka announced after some thought.

"Actually," Aang corrected, "it is a picture of a key."

Sokka rolled his eyes at this and slapped his forehead.

"But what does this key open?" Katara asked, trying to ignore the jovial tone the others had adopted. Looking at the embroidered pattern, she knew that it was probably something very important.

"That's the problem," Aang replied sheepishly, "I have no idea."

"What?" Katara, Sokka, and Toph asked simultaneously. Aang smiled innocently back at them.

"The Sun Warriors left no explanation whatsoever," Zuko elaborated, "they only said that it was the Avatar's destiny to have this and its purpose will be revealed to him and to him alone. Apparently, they didn't know what it was for either. Everything just seemed to be part of some ancient but ambiguous prophecy."

"But I figured that there was no harm in keeping it," Aang added, "after all, it is my destiny to have this thing. Who knows? It might actually help us defeat the Fire Lord."

"Well, it had better be of use," Toph commented, losing interest in the thing.

"I'm sure it will be," Katara added encouragingly, "and its purpose will be revealed to you, Aang, when you are ready."

"Thanks, guys," Aang answered gladly.

Sokka looked at the piece of cloth skeptically and shrugged. At least, it wasn't going to cause any harm to them. He didn't want to rely on strange, ancient, magical mumbo-jumbo but he knew that Aang was into that sort of thing so he was willing to let it pass.

Aang kept the piece of cloth and they all resumed their packing and preparing. In the process of doing so, Katara approached Zuko carefully and they began to converse in low tones.

"What news?" the waterbender asked anxiously, "Did they mention Aunt Melisande?"

"She was there long before us," he told Katara, "and she passed all their trials. According to the last they heard of her, she had gone into hiding in the Fire Nation."

"I don't think she'll have any trouble doing that," Katara said with a smile, "after all, everyone still thinks she's in exile."

"All the better," Zuko added, "and she left word to us that she will see us again when the time is right."

The two young benders looked at each other knowingly, so accustomed they were to Melisande's habits. They had no doubt that she would keep her word.

"But knowing Aunt Melisande," Zuko continued, "that would probably be in the most unexpected of circumstances."

Zuko smiled slightly back at her and nodded, to Katara's relief. Ever since Melisande's sudden departure on the day they all arrived back from the strange realm of her exile, the two benders had been concerned about her welfare. They were well aware, of course, that she was still a firebending master of impressive skill and ingenuity. But then again, she still should never go through with anything alone.

Not long after Zuko and Katara had arrived back on the strange-looking boat that looked like a house did everyone soon part ways. Hakoda had soon made his leave after discussing the invasion plans with Aang and Sokka. He promised to meet his two children again at the appointed time and wished them well before going back to prepare his troops and to meet with the forces of the Northern Water Tribe.

Zuko's mother, Ursa, stayed with them a little longer, relishing her long-anticipated reunion with her son. After several days, however, she too took her leave, after having a long talk with Zuko, and then with Katara, and then with Aang. She expressed her desire for Aang to succeed in overthrowing the Fire Lord. Ursa also mentioned that she and her sister had plans of their own to supplement Sokka's proposals and she had said that it was high time to implement those plans. Like Hakoda, Ursa promised to see her son again at the appointed time and they parted on sunset of a bittersweet day. But Zuko was not completely saddened. After all, he had finally seen his mother after so long of believing she was dead. And now, he had the assurance that he would see her again, and that they would have better times ahead.

As opposed to dismantling the house-boat, as Sokka had suggested, they, instead, found a way to transport and hide it in a nearby alcove. When Hakoda was about to leave, he and a few of his men maneuvered the boat to where the rest of their troops were. It was a strange-looking vessel but it still had a Fire Nation look to it so it served the Water Tribe chief well as a sort of camouflage. The weapons in the boat's arsenal also proved very helpful. They decided that they would try and find some more use for it later on.

Before Zuko and Aang had left for the kingdom of the Sun Warriors, Iroh was still with them. Today, however, when Zuko inquired after his uncle, Sokka replied that Iroh was on his way. The older firebender, apparently, had been busy doing his share of the preparations for their plans.

So everyone seemed more or less accounted for except Melisande. Katara missed the loving but sarcastic and mischievous lady, having spent so much time with her on the island and subsequently, on the house-boat.

After Zuko had told Katara of all the news about Melisande that he was able to learn from the Sun Warriors, he smiled at Katara.

"I'm glad to hear that," Katara said with a laugh, "so your little trip to the ancient source of firebending turned out to be a grand success, after all."

"In some ways," Zuko conceded, although a grave look came over his face.

There was something that the chief of the Sun Warriors told him and him alone, and this gave him much cause to worry. But he was still very reluctant to tell anyone about it, especially Katara, not only because he did not want to distress her by his own troubles, but also because, much to his surprise, what the Sun Warrior chief had told him involved Katara. And this was what weighed so much on the young firebender's mind and heart.

"_You and she have been shackled together. What you will suffer, she shall suffer too. You cannot escape this destiny. You cannot stray from the path that has been set for you."_

As much as he had wanted and tried to keep Katara uninvolved in the turbulent events in his life, it seemed that her destiny was already intricately entwined with his. He felt grateful for her presence which banished the loneliness he had felt before he had met her, but he also felt extremely guilty about bringing so much grief and distress into her life.

But she needed to know about this, although Zuko hardly knew how he would explain it. He decided to defer such a conversation until he had sufficiently figured out how he would tell her about it. For now, he would relish the few moments of blissful and peaceful ignorance that they would share while they were still preparing for the coming assaults and invasions.

Seeing the sudden change in Zuko's countenance, Katara sensed that there was something weighing heavily on his mind. He was often pensive but he also had a certain expression (which she knew well) when he was particularly troubled about something. And he had that expression right now. But seeing that he wasn't willing yet to talk to her about it, she decided that she would wait until he was ready to tell her about whatever was worrying him so much. She sighed with dismay at seeing Zuko in such a dismal state once again but she also knew that adopting such a state would do none of them any good so she decided to be as cheerful as she possibly could be so as not to dampen anyone else's hopes.

A couple of hours passed before a familiar figure emerged from the side of the beach. Grinning from ear to ear, Iroh arrived with a small carriage drawn by an ostrich horse. The carriage held an assortment of items and in general, it looked like some sort of caravan.

"Sorry I'm late everyone," Iroh announced with a smile.

"At least someone cares about sticking to the schedule," Sokka commented wryly.

Upon seeing his nephew, Iroh dropped the reins of the ostrich-horse and proceeded to enveloped Zuko in a great big hug. Although the younger firebender cringed slightly at the tightness of the embrace, he smiled back at his uncle and returned the hug (as much as he could).

"Welcome back, Zuko," Iroh said excitedly, and Zuko thanked him. Iroh was just about to ask Zuko and Aang about their trip when Sokka once again interrupted.

"Save the stories for later," Sokka said exasperatedly, "we can't waste any more time here."

"Oh, Sokka," Katara scolded with a pout.

"It's all right, Katara," Iroh said gently, "Sokka is right; we can't afford to waste another moment."

"And that is why I like Iroh so much," Sokka said proudly, glad to finally have someone on his side.

On the sly, Iroh gave a mischievous wink at Zuko, who merely rolled his eyes. Sokka requested that everyone gather around him as he explained what they were going to do, so after finalizing their packing, Zuko, Katara, Aang, Toph, and Iroh gathered around and listened intently to Sokka.

"Now, here's the plan," Sokka began, rolling out his long scroll with the schedule, "today is exactly three days before the eclipse and the Fire Lord and Azula are still expecting us to invade them then. Of course, the success of such an invasion would mean that we would have to attack on the day of the eclipse itself and not before. So the defenses will only be at the maximum state on the day of the eclipse. This gives us just enough time to infiltrate the Fire Nation capital as we are now and to implement our other plans."

Sokka gave a significant glance at Zuko and Aang, who nodded back at him seriously.

"We won't be staging any invasion whatsoever on the day of the eclipse, right?" Sokka continued, "but we will still be doing some damage to the Fire Nation forces during that time. I'm sure you are all well aware of what we are going to do."

Everyone nodded, some did so impatiently, having heard the plans over and over again. Nevertheless, they all had faith in Sokka's schemes and they were more than ready to implement those plans to the best of their ability.

"This question remains: how are we going to successfully infiltrate the Fire Nation before the eclipse?" Zuko asked, posing a logical dilemma. Everyone looked at Sokka who was not in the least bit perturbed by this. In fact, the Water Tribe Warrior looked rather smug.

"That's where Iroh comes in," Sokka answered with a grin, and "gave the floor" to the older firebender to explain his side of the plan.

"Thank you, Sokka," Iroh said with a smile, "I have spent the past few weeks getting in touch with members of the Order of the White Lotus."

Zuko cringed at the mention of the secret society but said nothing.

"Being a high-ranked member of that society," Iroh continued, "I am entitled to certain privileges which I decided to take advantage of in the light of our circumstances. So after filing a request, my other friends in the Order were able to furnish me with disguises and a means of entering the Fire Nation Capital without suspicion."

Everyone but Zuko looked excited at the prospect and they all began chattering enthusiastically. Sokka and Iroh looked at each other complacently and nodded, satisfied with the effect produced by Iroh's announcement. Zuko had narrowed his eyes at his uncle and looked suspiciously at the caravan the old man had brought with him.

"Uncle," Zuko interrupted the joyous din of excitement with his skepticism and with a hint of nervousness as well, "we won't be going in like the last time, will we?"

The others raised their eyebrows at the younger firebender, wondering what he meant. Iroh simply laughed very heartily at his nephew's nervousness.

"No, Zuko," Iroh replied with a grin, "we won't be hiding in the large flower pots this time."

Zuko glared at his uncle for even mentioning their previous mode of transportation while the others were suppressing giggles as they looked from the nephew to the uncle. Katara looked questioningly at Zuko.

"Don't ask," he said with finality, his lips pursed, and she decided not to. But she was still suppressing her giggles.

"No, not like the last time at all, Zuko," Iroh continued after the moment of hilarity, "this time, there are more of us so we had to come up with a more elaborate excuse. And we found the best one too! We will be entering the Fire Nation as a traveling circus!"

The last sentence had been said with a dramatic flair and Iroh had flung his arms wide, showing the caravan and all its colorful costumes and props. The old man was so elated by the prospect that he didn't understand why the others seemed less than enthusiastic about it. Katara had raised her eyebrows. Toph had shaken her head. Sokka's jaw had dropped to the ground. And Zuko had slapped his forehead in annoyance.

"Trust uncle to make things as humiliating as possible," Zuko whispered to Katara.

"Excuse me, Iroh," Sokka said after recovering from the shock, "but why exactly would a traveling circus be INCONSPICUOUS?!"

"Calm down, Sokka," Katara soothed her fuming brother. Everyone turned to Iroh for the answer. They knew that despite appearances, he was still a wise old man. Or at least, they all hoped so.

"Allow me to explain," Iroh replied calmly, not at all bothered by everyone's strange expressions, "there will be a festival in the Fire Nation right after the eclipse, celebrating how, once more, the Fire Nation survived its darkest day. Apparently, Azula and my brother are so confident in their defenses and so sure of victory that they are already inviting all sorts of performers to provide entertainment during this grand festival. Their foolish overconfidence is our gain. Dozens of caravans such as this one are pouring into the city right now and just one more would not be noticed. Added to that is the benefit of our using all sorts of masks and disguises to hide our true identities."

After some thought, the others all sighed with relief. Iroh had not lost it after all. In fact, it was a rather brilliant plan and they began to get excited about it. After making their apologies for their overactive behavior, the others quickly proceeded to the caravan and began picking out their costumes and fabricating their fake identities.

Having searched around the caravan for a few balls, Zuko looked at them apprehensively before sighing.

"I guess I'm going to have to start practicing," he said in a low tone, almost to himself.

"Practicing what?" Toph asked, who had heard him nevertheless.

Zuko stared hard at the round items in his hands before replying in almost a dejectedly nostalgic tone.

"Juggling."

--

_And there you have it, the first chapter. A lot lighter than the prologue, I didn't want the whole thing to be too heavy. Besides, these are just the preparations for the invasion anyway. I wanted to maintain some humour in this story despite the overall dark themes. Hopefully, everyone was not so out of character and that the plans they made were sensible. At least, I hope that I succeeded in making them so. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this and I will try to update soon._


	3. Part One, Chapter 2

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender" – among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER TWO**

The wheels of dozen of wooden caravans creaked as they entered the inner circle of the Fire Nation capital city. Hundreds of performers were entering the city as a part of the coming festivities after the Eclipse. These people came from various places in the Fire Nation but they detailed and extensive background checks had been done on them before they were allowed to enter the city. After all, the Fire Lord was expecting an attack on the day before the festival and he would not take the risk of his enemies infiltrating his fortified city right under his nose. If there was anything that Fire Lord Ozai hated most, it was being made a fool of.

Of course, no one had factored in the interference and influence of the Order of the White Lotus. But then again, it was a secret society so no one really knew about its doings other than its members, all of whom were invariably opposed to the war. And that is why the Avatar and his friends were still able to sneak into the heart of the enemy's country without so much as a warning. How the Fire Lord would react to such an occurrence once he found out would be another matter.

But for the moment, preparations for the festival were being made and slowly and quietly, the circus people, mimes, harlequins, puppeteers, dancers, freaks, acrobats, clowns, and all the other participants in the celebrations were getting settled in under the cover of darkness. Despite the Fire Lord's confidence in success, he did not intend to pre-empt the festivities by having the celebrations even before the victory. Nevertheless, he had wanted the preparations to be organized in order that the celebration would begin promptly, firmly establishing the Fire Nation as the most powerful country in the world.

It was rather ironic to see dark, hooded figures of people walking carefully and speaking in hushed tones when beneath their shrouds, they all wore the most vibrant and colorful of costumes and they actually spoke in the loudest and liveliest of tones. They shuffled along, careful not to bump into the other caravans for fear of damaging essential props, costumes, and whatnot necessary for their diverse and unique performances. They whispered (except for the mimes who merely made hasty gestures to one another) and tried to keep themselves as inconspicuous as possible. They had been ordered not to alert the citizens to their presence until the time was right. But their work being of the theatrical nature, it was quite a challenge for them to remain discreet.

That eerie night, the roads seemed to be filled with ghosts of some long-forgotten masquerade. If naughty children dared to peek out their windows at that ungodly hour, they might have believed themselves part of some bizarre dream with shadowy, fantastical beings roaming the streets and an air of wonder pervading the atmosphere. It seemed that even in darkness and secrecy, these artists could not help but create some sort of spectacle, as if they were perpetually before an audience.

But there was one spectator who didn't particularly take any pleasure at the sight of the hooded figures. Watching the procession of performers and caravans from one of the high towers of the city, Princess Azula had a bored expression on her face. She never enjoyed going to circuses and festivals. They were far too lively and ridiculous for her, too much pomp and circumstance over nothing. She also knew that her father didn't take much pleasure in such shallow entertainment as well. But he was a crafty Fire Lord and he knew what he had to do to strengthen the loyalty of his people. It wasn't too much trouble anyway to send for all these artists. They didn't even ask to be paid. They had said that it would be an honor and privilege to be a part of the Fire Lord's celebration. What this really meant, of course, was that they did not dare refuse a summons from the most powerful and most dangerous man in the world.

"What a bunch of freaks," Azula thought disdainfully as she watched the people file in. She really looked upon the performing arts with much distaste. She considered such a profession a complete waste of time and talents. And to think that Ty Lee was happy with that pathetic kind of life. If Azula had not needed that girl's talents, the princess would not have associated with such a whimsical, ridiculous circus freak. But as things stood, Ty Lee still had her uses so Azula did not really begrudge the girl her inclinations. After all, Azula thought, Ty Lee wasn't as stupid as she looked.

Watching as the wheels moved along the crowded streets, Azula could not help thinking that the wheels of her own plans were in motion as well. With a sinisterly satisfied smile, she transferred her gaze to the Royal Palace where her father was currently finalizing his plans with his courtiers and war ministers.

Although she had been present in many of these crucial war meetings, this time she had not been invited. But she didn't really mind because she had her own preparations to make. Even at this moment, she was waiting for a message from one of her spies from the Dai Li. She considered them a "souvenir" from Ba Sing Se. They had proven far more useful and reliable than any Fire Nation spies she had had and their loyalty to her was almost fanatical. Whenever she would summon them to report their findings or when she would send them out on special missions, she would see in their eyes a combination of devotion and fear. And she enjoyed every opportunity of wielding her strange power over them.

Through her intricate network of spies positioned all over the Four Nations, she was able to monitor the movements of all her enemies, even some in the Fire Nation. She had learned enough of politics and history to know that she could trust no one but herself and that the more she knew about her enemies and the less they knew about her, the easier it would be to defeat them.

Wistfully, Princess Azula fingered the small vial of pale, sandy powder in her pocket. Like every fatal thing, this small container did not look as threatening as it actually was. And that was what made it all the better and so suited to Azula's tastes. She always enjoyed things with deceiving looks.

She remembered the time she had procured this precious substance from a peculiar old Earth Kingdom woman who lived with her cat by the side of some ruins in one part of the Earth Kingdom. The old hag was certainly insane but she had her uses. But then again, Azula's sources had told her that this weird witch was the most talented druggist in the entire region. Besides, the hag's insanity turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Azula, whose dealings with the former were strictly confidential. At least, Azula was certain that the druggist would reveal nothing to anyone about their transactions. Even if she did, who would believe a crazy old woman?

But all these concerns aside, the druggist had not seemed to care about Azula's intentions for the substance. All the woman really seemed to care about was her cat. So everything had worked out rather conveniently for the crafty princess.

Azula carefully brought out the vial and turned it around, looking it over with her fierce, golden eyes. She couldn't help but marvel at how much damage such a small amount of the substance would cause, how many lives would be changed with a few grains of this rare and precious concoction.

_Azula had turned the vial around in such a fashion the first time it had been given to her._

"_Is this it?", Azula had asked the weird druggist skeptically, wondering if it really was worth it to come all this way to consult a deranged old woman._

"_Of course it is," the woman answered undauntedly. Her insanity seemed to have rendered her fearless even in the face of the deadliest person in the Four Nations. Beside the small, hunchbacked figure, a large, furry gray cat purred, looking at the strange visitors with its indescribably wise feline eyes._

_Azula had frowned at the vial, her brows narrowing as she looked at it._

"_This," Azula had said, "is the most powerful poison in the world. Are you certain that there is no antidote for this? Or nothing more dangerous?"_

"_There is no antidote," the hag had replied, rolling her eyes as if speaking to the child. Azula decided to let this slide because she was too engrossed in the poison to deal with the peculiarities of a harmless, old druggist._

"_You will find no other supply of that anywhere you search," the old woman continued, "there is nothing rarer, and nothing deadlier."_

"Nothing deadlier," Azula repeated the druggist's words wistfully. And once again, she smiled. Perfect.

The spy had not yet arrived, but Azula found herself surprisingly patient. Everything was working out according to her plans, and nothing would be destroyed by delays such as this. Even as her father continued his endless discussions with those old codgers in the war room, she was making her move.

Despite their common goal – the domination of the entire world – Azula did not always agree with her father's methods. He had been her "guiding" example growing up, to be sure, but when she carefully and methodically studied the history of Fire Nation rulers, she somehow came to believe that her father wasn't as great a ruler as he ought to be. Although he was far more superior to his forebears, he was still lacking in some aspects. After all, if he had maximized his powers a Fire Lord, the Northern and Southern Water Tribes would have been Fire Nation colonies by now and Ba Sing Se would have long been breached. But status quo was the opposite. The Fire Nation still had enemies and the Fire Lord was depending on the powers by a comet to be able to impose full dominion. But would that be enough?

It was when she first realized this that Azula first felt that _she _might have run things a lot better. She was intelligent and powerful. She would rule this mighty nation one day, indeed it was only a matter of time. After all, despite her status as the younger child, she was the true heir to the throne. Azula knew well that her father never intended for Zuko to have the throne, even if he had succeeded capturing the Avatar. Some way or another, Ozai would have found a way to get rid of the son he deemed "soft", "weak", and "useless", just like when he banished Zuko for speaking out of turn.

"Zuzu is really a fool," Azula thought, "to have hoped that Father would have ever accepted him back even if he had captured the Avatar."

But now,_ that _nuisance of a brother of hers was out of the way. She didn't know how he could have possibly escaped the Crystal Catacombs or how he could have survived the poisonous fumes, but from her spies reports, it seemed that he had vanished from the face of the earth. Either he was dead or he was in hiding. The latter seemed less probable, considering the excellent detecting skills of her spies.

But she set her thoughts on Zuko aside. They were utterly irrelevant to what was going to happen in a short while. Wherever her brother was didn't matter to Azula. But if he was alive, by some crazy chance, and still out there, she swore that the next time they met, she would not hesitate to get rid of him. Permanently.

Very soon, her father would call for her and they would proceed to the hidden, secret underground haven beneath the Palace, as a defense against the coming invaders. She would take her place in her Father's throne room and await the arrival of the Avatar. Yes, she would be sitting on that throne soon.

Once again, Princess Azula of the Fire Nation looked down on the circus performers. There might be something else to celebrate when all this was over.

--

A light-footed, brightly-dressed young woman sauntered along the roads, checking on the arriving performers and trying to keep track of them all as well as keeping an eye out for suspicious looking individuals among them. And yet, despite the artists' varied and outrageous appearances underneath their dark cloaks, Ty Lee was not in the least bit frightened or suspicious. After all, she was among her kind and she felt the happiest and safest among all these "freaks". She was one of them and proud of it.

And now as she made her way through the dozens of caravans, Ty Lee spoke convivially with some of the performers and made light conversation with the others. Some were even old acquaintances of hers. She was easily able to relate to them and sorely missed her old life as a traveling performer, the free, uninhibited life, the chance to be herself.

"_I thought the circus was your calling."_

"_Well, Azula called a little louder."_

That only meant that she had been subtly coerced into this arrangement. She had enjoyed being with her old friends at first, but she had soon found herself missing the life of the circus. But she had had no choice.

Azula called a little louder.

Azula had ordered her to take care of the smooth flow of the various caravans as they entered the city and to weed out the questionable-looking ones. But of course, they were circus performers, they all looked questionable. And Ty Lee did not want to turn anyone in, nor did she intend to.

But she was well aware that she really didn't need to supervise the arrival of these festival actors. The Fire Lord had dispatched more than enough soldiers to take care of this. No, she was not really needed here. But nevertheless, it was a test of some sort.

Azula wanted to see just how trustworthy Ty Lee was. And the princess also wanted to make sure that she had at least one minion involved in this aspect of the preparations for the eclipse. Azula just had to be involved in every plan of the Fire Lord, whether he intended for her to be involved or not.

And though it wasn't really in her nature to be glum about anything, Ty Lee was worried about Azula's schemes. The princess didn't disclose her main motives even to Mai and herself, but Ty Lee was certain that there was more to Azula's meddling in the Fire Lord's affairs than meets the eye. She didn't know the particulars but she did know that whenever Azula commissioned them to do something that was apparently unknown to the Fire Lord, the princess had this malevolent gleam in her eyes that always meant trouble. Ty Lee pursed her lips at this thought. Princess Azula was playing a dangerous game, and some way or another, Ty Lee knew that she and Mai would be caught in the crossfire if Azula did not succeed.

And a little voice in her head told the talented acrobat that when such a risky time came, despite all her optimistic assumptions that Azula considered her a friend, the princess would have no second thoughts about throwing her and Mai to the lions. At one point, when they became dispensable to the princess, they would be discarded. And that was why Ty Lee was determined to always prove her usefulness to Azula. More than any of her death-defying stunts at the circus, in this performance as one Azula's allies, Ty Lee's life hung at the balance.

The acrobat's reverie was disturbed when she noticed an unfamiliar group of performers shuffling at one end of the procession. Despite the diversity of people in traveling circuses, this group seemed to stand out. Not because they were dressed differently from the others, but because they had a certain quality about them that betrayed origins other than the circus.

Ty Lee was intrigued and cartwheeled her way towards them. Since she had never seen them before, she was eager to make friends and also curious as to why they had caught her attention. Before approaching them, she observed their group's composition.

At the head of the caravan was a large, old man in the customarily colorful garb of a circus performer which showed through his black hooded cloak. He also wore an elaborate mask that resembled the head of a dragon. He seemed to be engaged in conversation with a tall, lean young man, also wearing a mask, this time resembling the head of a wolf. Behind them, stood two other figures, a young man and a young woman who seemed to be on very intimate terms with one another. But they were careful not to be too blatant about their feelings. And like their companions, these two both wore masks as well. The boy's mask resembled a strange serpent-like creature with pincers and large fangs. At first Ty Lee had to think hard before she recognized the creature as one of the mythological beasts told to her in stories during her childhood, an Elemental Sea Scorpent. Ty Lee was impressed by the creativity and originality of the mask as well as the unorthodox choice of a creature to portray. She looked over to the girl's mask and was surprised to see another mythological being. The girl's mask was a pale, wraith-like face with long hair, two small, dotty holes for eyes and a wide, gaping mouth. A siren.

"How very interesting," Ty Lee thought as she watched this strange troupe follow the procession. She had been so engrossed in staring at the masks of the others that she failed to notice a small figure behind the couple of mythological masks climb up to the caravan.

Then, Ty Lee noticed that someone from within the caravan seemed to whisper something to the large man at the front and he immediately relayed the information to the others. All of a sudden, they became more tense and silent. And most importantly, they seemed finally aware of her presence.

Now, if this group of circus people had looked less interesting than they did and if Ty Lee had been an ordinary soldier, their reactions would have certainly been noted as "suspicious." But the acrobat who had the deadly ability to block chi was so intrigued by these new arrivals that she was temporarily caught off guard.

Seeing that they had finally noticed her staring at them, she smiled brightly and skipped nearer them. Although the two young men and the girl seemed to tense at her arrival, the large, older man seemed unaffected. He made an elaborate gesture of welcome but said nothing.

"Hello, there," Ty Lee greeted cheerfully, "you guys must be new to the business. I've never seen you before. My name is Ty Lee."

The young man with the wolf mask gave a light shrug but said nothing. The scorpent-masked man and the siren-masked girl both nodded to her while the large man simply put his large hands on his equally large stomach and gave the impression of smiling through his mask.

Ty Lee was not at all offended by this kind of response. She had finally realized exactly what kind of performers these people were. With a bright smile of recognition, she concluded that they were masked mimes.

"I understand that you should keep to the code of absolute silence," she said in a friendly tone, "but we're fellow performers, you know. At least, I used to be. Do you have to be in character even with your colleagues?"

At this, all four members of the troupe nodded their masked heads vigorously, answering her question. She smiled back at them.

"Oh, well," she replied, not taking any offense, "you must be true professionals."

Again, the boy with the wolf-mask shrugged at her, this time as if saying "we try." At this, the siren-masked girl gave him a nudge and the scorpent-masked boy was shaking his head as if in embarrassment and slight annoyance.

"You guys seem really fun," Ty Lee continued, amused by the mannerisms of this little group of mimes, "and I'll bet you really enjoy what you do. So do I. But I don't really get to perform as much as I used to. I've been commissioned to do a different kind of work, although it still requires my talents."

The masked mimes listened intently to her and nodded their heads after she spoke. Encouraged by their companionable silence, Ty Lee proceeded to tell them her story, completely forgetting her true purpose that night and glad to have made some new friends. She also enjoyed having another audience somehow as well as people who were willing to listen to all she wanted to say without judging or criticizing her.

The line had begun to move forward but Ty Lee made no gesture to go away from the strange troupe. Instead, she walked with them as the procession continued and didn't stop chattering to the siren-masked girl while the two young men and the older man took care of the caravan. Ty Lee asked the girl if they had other companions with them riding in the caravan and the girl had replied with a nod. But when Ty Lee asked to meet the others, the siren-masked girl made a gesture that indicated that the other companions riding in the caravan were fast asleep. Respecting their privacy, the acrobat nodded and lowered her voice as she talked.

She told the girl about how she missed being in the circus and performing but how with the current circumstances, she could not return to that idyllic life. She also expressed her anxiety about the coming eclipse and how they were expecting the Avatar to come storming in the moment the firebenders lost their powers. All throughout the conversation, it had not occurred to Ty Lee that she might be speaking to spies or untrustworthy strangers. It wasn't that she was lax or stupid. But there was something familiar about these people and whatever it was, she felt at ease with them because of their attention to her. What did she care about the Fire Lord's extreme safety measures? Her job was redundant anyway, since all these performers had been thoroughly investigated and screened before even being allowed inside the city walls. And she rarely had any opportunity to make new friends nowadays and she suspected that such opportunities would continue to decrease once Azula started implementing her master plan. And she didn't know how long she would have to act as spy, and ally to the princess so she didn't know when she would have the chance to converse as freely as she did right now. She only regretted that she would not learn their names. But she definitely resolved to look for them during the festivities.

Soon, Ty Lee had lost all track of time and was still following the troupe of masked mimes all the way to the settlement facility built for all the performers and participants in the festival. But contrary to what she expected, they did no shoo her away or show any signs of impatience (except maybe a few small hints here and there from the boy in the wolf-mask but she found these gestures rather endearing). But as she was about to suggest helping the group pitch their tents and finish all tasks involved in settling in, she was jerked back to reality.

"What are you still doing here, Ty Lee?" a bored, languid voice called out.

"Oh, hi there, Mai," Ty Lee greeted her friend brightly. But Mai's expression (or lack thereof) did not change and she simply stood there, with folded arms and a foot tapping with impatience.

"I was just talking to my new friends," Ty Lee continued, pointing at the masked mimes who waved at Mai in a friendly way. The tall, pale girl did not return the gestures and simply regarded the mimes without any interest or acknowledgment.

"Just stop wasting your time here," Mai told Ty Lee, "we're in the middle of preparations for an invasion, not a party."

"Oh, come on, Mai, lighten up," Ty Lee asked the placid girl.

"Azula has summoned us," Mai replied simply, turning around and walking away. Ty Lee's shoulders slumped but she knew that she had to obey. With a sad smile, she took her leave of the mime troupe and wished them luck for their performances. She also expressed a wish to see them perform during the festival. Once she made her farewells, she followed Mai and waved at the masked mimes who eagerly waved back at her.

"What was that all about?" Mai asked Ty Lee when the latter had finally caught up.

"I don't know, they seemed really nice," Ty Lee said, trying to explain how she had felt, "and there was something about them. I couldn't really place it, but they seemed, familiar somehow."

"I don't know about nice or familiar," Mai replied, much to Ty Lee's surprise. Mai never really cared about what other people did.

"But I know one thing," the pale girl concluded silently to herself, throwing a secret glance at the peculiar company of mimes, "there certainly is something different about them."

--

Once both Mai and Ty Lee were out of sight, everyone finally relaxed.

"Are they gone?" Aang asked, peeping his head out the caravan.

"Thankfully," Katara replied with a sigh of relief.

"It was good that Toph sensed Ty Lee's presence right away," Zuko said, praising the blind earthbender.

And then, the Avatar and his friends settled in their temporary accommodations.

"Whew," Sokka concluded after that nerve-racking encounter with Ty Lee, "that was close."

--

_And there you have it, the second chapter at last. I'm sorry if not much happens here but I needed to have some more exposition as well as have some deeper characterization and revelations about the past._

_As usual, I hope that I kept everyone in character. This marks the first time I've ever written Ty Lee or Mai's point of view so I'm still rather nervous about them. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter._


	4. Part One, Chapter 3

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender" is among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER THREE**

There were maps, charts, blueprints, plans, and all sorts of similar materials laid out on the makeshift table in the caravan. The light of a tall candle flickered in the midst of the group as they gathered around Sokka as he pointed to this map and that chart, explaining and verifying the specific tasks to be accomplished by each member of the group. Sokka repeated every single detail in a serious and slightly frantic tone. The eclipse was only hours away and Sokka wanted everything to be perfect. He felt that the weight of the success or failure of this expedition rested on his shoulders alone. Of course, this was not true, but he nevertheless felt the pressure.

Katara put a hand on her brother's trembling shoulder and told him to calm down. He relaxed slightly and looked at all the smiling faces around him. Although how any of them could smile at a time like this was beyond him.

But perhaps they all felt the pressure too but were trying their best to look beyond it, to look and hope for the best.

"You don't have to run the whole thing through us again, Sokka," Toph told the Water Tribe Warrior, "we all know what we have to do."

"We really appreciate all the effort you've put into planning this, Sokka," Aang said encouragingly, "but don't worry. We've worked out all the flaws of the plan and all we have to do now is execute all that we've been preparing for so hard."

"What we all need now," Iroh counseled, as was his habit, "is to get enough rest so that we have all the energy we need to execute our plans. It also helps to be in the right frame of mind."

"Everyone is ready, Sokka," Zuko said, "don't worry about that."

"Thanks, guys," Sokka replied, "I really appreciate it. I know and understand that you're all under a lot of pressure as well. I guess I just really want this to succeed. It's not even a matter of personal pride at a victory. It's just that we can't really afford to mess this up."

At this the others looked at him gravely and nodded. He was right. Although they weren't going to invade the Fire Nation with a vast army, they still had many crucial but dangerous tasks to fulfill. Their mere presence here was a huge risk. After all, they were right in the enemy's home base. One wrong move and they would lose everything.

All of this was really just the preliminary stage of their master plan for eventually defeating the Fire Lord. But if the slightest mishap occurred during this mission, all that they had worked for so hard would fall to ruin.

The importance of this mission weighed on all their minds and they tried as best as they could to deal with the pressure. Finally, Sokka rolled up his charts, scrolls, and maps and stored them somewhere safe. The others had risen and began making their personal preparations for the tasks they were to perform. Once this had been settled, they all proceeded to bed, although no one was really going to be able to sleep that night. There was just too much going on.

Sokka glanced at the time-telling device the mechanist had provided him on their last meeting. He counted nine hours before the eclipse. All of them would get as much rest as they could. And then, the plan would be set in motion.

--

"I know you're awake, Katara."

The waterbender turned on her side and faced the young earthbender. Neither of them was able to sleep that night, there was too much anticipation.

"What do you think, Toph?" Katara asked the earthbender earnestly.

"About what?" Toph answered curtly.

"How are things going to work out?" Katara asked nervously.

"We'll make sure they all go according to plan," Toph replied coolly.

"How can you be so sure?" Katara asked with concern, sitting up, "I know that we should try to be as optimistic as we can but everything just seems so, uncertain, despite all the plans."

"I know you're worried, Katara," the younger girl told the older one , "so am I, and so is everyone else. But look at it this way, for so long, for a hundred years, in fact, the Fire Lord has been getting his way. But his time is up. The tides have turned and everything started working in our favor ever since you found Aang in that iceberg."

"Wow, Toph," Katara replied with awe, "you're even more perceptive than I thought."

"Ha," the earthbender replied with a laugh, "people underestimate me so much that they are always surprised when I exceed expectations. But I've gotten used to such a situation, in fact, I rather enjoy it. I always like it when I surprise people."

"You are a marvel," Katara praised earnestly, "and people have been very wrong to underestimate you."

"Don't worry, Katara," Toph replied, "I've turned that circumstance into an advantage. Since no one expects anything of me, it becomes so easy to beat them with one well-placed strike."

"But even with that rare advantage of yours," Katara advised, "you shouldn't be too careless."

"I know where this is going," Toph said with a significant smile at the waterbender, "don't worry, Katara. I'll make sure to bring him back alive."

"I never doubted that you would," Katara answered with a sad smile, "but I am worried about how he will go through with it. He's acted as if he is completely ready for this challenge but I know that deep down inside, he still has some doubts."

"Be that as it may," Toph answered seriously, "you should give him more credit. He knows what he's up against and he will do what he has to do."

--

Zuko didn't look back when he felt his uncle's hand on his shoulder. Instead, the younger firebender continued gazing at the stars in a pensive fashion. He felt his uncle sit beside him and imitate his position. At first, there was not a word exchanged between them. But much was understood. Neither of them needed too many words.

"You've chosen the right path, my nephew," Iroh told Zuko gently and earnestly, "and I am proud of you."

"Thank you, Uncle," Zuko answered simply, his golden eyes still focused on the star-speckled night sky. Looking at the young man, Iroh sighed.

"I know that it won't be easy," Iroh said, "but I also trust that you will get through it. We are all burdened by the trials we must face in the coming days but as I've told you repeatedly, you must never give in to despair. The young Avatar will surely fulfill his destiny but he needs us just as much as we need him. He can't go through with this alone and neither can we."

"I know that, Uncle," Zuko replied calmly, "and though it was strange to be working and fighting along the side of the person whom I had been pursuing for so long, I've realized just how much of a gift he is to our shattered world. And I will do everything in my power to help him realize that destiny."

"You are sure of that path," Iroh observed with a knowing glance, "but you are in doubt about something else."

"All that time I spent at the island," Zuko told his uncle reminiscently, "I learned so much about myself and about my destiny. I also found someone who brings such joy and beauty into my life. We went through so much together and realized just how much we had in common."

Iroh smiled at the reference to the waterbender and looked at his nephew wistfully. The older man was so happy that Zuko had finally found someone to love. When he first saw them standing together, unsure about the future and yet certain about their place by each other's side, he knew that no matter what they would have to face in the coming days, those two would never leave each other.

And yet the old man detected that persistent hint of doubt in his nephew's countenance. Iroh sighed. All the members of their family seemed to have complicated pasts but it seemed Zuko was the most pensive of them all. At first, it had been Iroh's lifelong dream to get his nephew to lighten up but this had proven to be a task of unimaginable proportions. Zuko would always have a serious streak in him, no matter what. And yet, it seemed that the young waterbender had taught his nephew to relax somewhat. Iroh was also thankful that the girl had given his nephew more reasons to smile.

So, by the look in Zuko's eyes, Iroh could tell that Katara was on the young man's mind. Zuko was clearly worried about her.

"She will never leave you, count on that," Iroh comforted his nephew.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Zuko answered emotionally.

"What are you talking about, Zuko?" Iroh asked suddenly, taken aback by Zuko's answer.

The younger firebender sighed and looked at his uncle with such sadness that the old man was almost moved to tears.

"I dragged her into this," Zuko said simply.

"Nonsense," Iroh countered, "she had been fighting on the Avatar's side long before she came to love you."

"It's not that," Zuko explained, "the Sun Warrior chief had said something about us, how our destinies were inexplicably intertwined ever since the island."

"That only shows the strength of your love," Iroh said with a smile although the old man was getting more and more concerned about what Zuko was revealing.

"But I don't want her to have to suffer any more because of me," Zuko cried passionately, "I don't want to cause her any more pain."

"Calm down, Zuko," Iroh told his emotional nephew, "it is not for you to decide what she will choose and you and I both know that she will stand by you no matter what happens. Don't feel guilty about bringing anything upon her. We both know that she is incredibly strong."

"But, Uncle," Zuko protested. Iroh raised a hand to silence the young man.

"Zuko, stop worrying about it," Iroh advised, "and just think about this. Can you imagine living the rest of your life without her by your side?"

Zuko was taken aback by this question but answered, without the slightest hint of hesitation or doubt, "No."

"Well, then, that's settled," Iroh said satisfactorily, "and I'm quite sure that she would not have it any other way."

Finally realizing what his uncle had been saying, Zuko nodded and smiled appreciatively at the old man. Uncle Iroh was right, as usual, and Zuko was glad of it.

"I guess I haven't been giving her too much credit," Zuko said after a while, "after all we've been through together, I've seen just how strong she is. If I can get through whatever challenge fate hurls my way, than I'm certain that Katara will too."

Iroh smiled proudly at his nephew and clapped a hand on Zuko's shoulder. Then, the uncle and nephew both looked out to where the silhouette of the Fire Nation Royal Palace could be seen in the distance. The faces of these two Fire Nation exiles were marked with pensiveness as they gazed their former home.

"Always remember why we're here," Iroh said, "we need to clear our family's name."

Zuko nodded gravely as he looked out at the city.

So much depended on the success of this mission. It was risky, to be sure, and very, very dangerous. But when Zuko thought about the good it would bring to the world, and the help it would bring to Aang, he knew that all their efforts would be well worth it. He remembered how the Avatar had come to treat him as a friend and even a member of that surrogate family despite all the things he had done to the boy in the past.

He thought about Katara and how she had taught him to never lose faith in himself. He thought about the elderly man who stood by his side, who had always been more of a father to him than his own had ever been. He thought about his mother, who was out there somewhere, playing her role in the plan and hoping that she would see her son again.

Then, Zuko thought about all the people in the Four Nations, especially his own race in the Fire Nation. They may brand him as a traitor now but he was doing everything he could to save them. He had always had his country's best interests at heart whether they recognized his devotion or not. He would not let them down again.

Staring at the palace walls, Zuko thought about his sister, Azula, and the great differences that had set them apart as siblings. He hoped that he would not have to face her during the eclipse. Though he knew that she would have no second thoughts about killing him if he stood in her way, he doubted that he would be capable of doing the same to her. After all, despite all the terrible things she had done to him, she was still his flesh and blood. He knew that he could never hope to have the same relationship as Sokka and Katara had but deep in his heart, he truly wanted to forgive his crazy sister.

And finally, narrowing his eyes, Zuko thought about his father, and about how, in a few hours, he would face that man again. He knew what he had to say and do. And whatever the father may throw at him, the son was prepared. This was a confrontation that should have happened years ago.

--

She could see the tops of the many Fire Nation army helmets of her escort as she made her way to the "secret" underground shelter which had been the refuge of Fire Nation royalty during the last eclipse. A few adjustments and renovations had been made to suit the taste of the current family but nevertheless there was an eerie, ancient aura about the place.

Azula found the whole place stuffy and suffocating and she could not wait to get out.

She watched with boredom as the many armed guards escorted her from where she had received final instructions from her father before the eclipse was to start. He couldn't just tell her in a less formal fashion. But then again, as Fire Lord, the man was still subject to Fire Nation protocol.

Nevertheless, all these guards were unnecessary. She was more than able to defend herself. And their presence slightly hindered her plans. Slightly.

But of course in a matter of moments, the fierce princess of the Fire Nation had managed to dismiss her armed escort and to wait patiently, alone for one person to arrive.

After about a quarter of an hour, the person she had been expecting passed through the earthen hall. He bore a small tray with a steaming pot of tea as well as a twp porcelain cups with the insignia of the Fire Lord. He shuffled his small feet as he made his way towards the Fire Lord's chamber. But seeing the princess, the royal courtier stopped in front of Azula silently and presented the tea to her. He poured her a cup.

With a regal movement, the princess took a sip of the hot liquid. She nodded with satisfaction and then asked the courtier to open the tea pot.

"I simply want to take a look at the excellent blend of tea your master has sent my father," Azula said sweetly but sinisterly in way of an excuse. The courtier made no protest, he was in no position to do so.

He silently lifted the lid of the teapot and with a bow raised the tray to the princess. His head was so bowed down in fearful reverence that he failed to notice the princess grasp the pot gently with both hands and carefully tap her slender fingers over the tea.

"You're dismissed," she told the nervous servant with a seemingly uninterested wave of her hand.

The poor man quickly got up, replaced the cover of the tea pot and made his way to the Fire Lord's secret room. Azula watched the man's progress with satisfaction before turning around to go to her post.

No one saw her smirk with sinister satisfaction.

_It was only a matter of time now._

_--_

Dawn had broken.

"Okay, guys, this is it," Sokka announced to the group as they had assembled at one side of the caravan, "please double check everything and make sure that you've brought all the things you will need."

Although this precaution was unnecessary since they had all double (triple, quadruple, what have you) checked their belongings and things, they all still complied. One could never be too sure and considering the gravity of the mission, none of them intended to take any chances.

"All accounted for here," Aang told Sokka with a smile. Standing beside the Avatar, Iroh nodded and gave a thumbs up at the Water Tribe Warrior. Sokka nodded gravely.

After rummaging through her sack, Katara told her brother that she had everything she needed. Sokka took that into account.

Zuko and Toph likewise showed their readiness and presented all their "props" to the mastermind of the mission. Sokka looked carefully at each item before nodding with approval. He had thought this through (and through and through) and he was determined for the plan to succeed. He checked his own things to make sure that all was accounted for before finally pausing to rest. His sister put a hand on his shoulder and urged him to calm down. He sighed and looked at the entire group gathered there. Few though they were, they would deal their enemies a series of very powerful blows.

The Water Tribe Warrior turned to the first team, Aang and Iroh. The two nodded at him although they noted that he had a frown on his face.

"Don't worry about it, Sokka," Aang consoled his friend, "I know that this wasn't in the original plan but I know what I'm doing."

"You'd better hope so," Sokka mumbled.

"Come on, Sokka," Aang persisted, "we're all going to need a little optimism from you today."

"Fine," Sokka conceded, still worried and doubtful.

"Besides, Iroh will be with me," Aang consoled his friend further.

"Even with this slight alteration in your plans," Iroh explained to Sokka, "we're still going to achieve the same goal, or even more. Aang will still be able to get a lay of the land and a clear idea of when and where he would have his confrontation with my brother. Added to that would be the tactical knowledge that we might acquire in our trip to the dragon archives."

"You mean the iffy ancient magic that the Sun Warriors told you about with a drawing of a key," Sokka corrected, "yes, that's all really comforting."

"Sokka, we've gone through this a thousand times," Katara told her brother exasperatedly, "and you agreed to the plan in the first place. There's no turning back now."

Sokka sighed. "I guess you're right," he conceded to his sister, "I guess I'm being a tad bit too paranoid."

"I can't tell if that's an understatement or a downright lie," Toph teased the plan-obsessed warrior, trying to lighten the mood. The others greatly appreciated this and chuckled softly.

"Anyway, just be careful," Sokka said to Aang finally, "and make sure you get back to the rendez-vous point on time."

"You can count on us," Aang replied with enthusiasm and certainty.

Sokka now turned to his sister. Together, they were the second team and they had a different task. The waterbending master nodded at the Water Tribe Warrior. There was no need to say that they were both quite ready.

"I have my disguise," Katara couldn't help teasing her brother, "do you?"

"Of course I have my disguise, Katara!" Sokka replied defensively. Seeing everyone else smiling at him, he sighed, having been duped yet again. But it was good to release some tension.

Then, Sokka turned to the last team, Zuko and Toph. Those two probably had the most challenging task ahead of them but then again, they were Zuko and Toph. They could definitely handle it.

"Are you ready for this?" Sokka asked Zuko seriously.

Zuko nodded gravely at Sokka who returned the serious gaze.

"I've been preparing for this moment for years," was all the firebender said.

Everything was clearly prepared.

"Do you have the dummy?" Sokka asked Toph. She grinned at him.

"Yep," replied the earthbending master wryly, "both of them." Zuko glared at her.

And despite the seriousness of the circumstances, everyone smiled at Toph's quick wit. It seemed that the earthbender had the amazing gift of relieving tension very effectively. But time was of the essence and there were still a few things to be done.

Carefully but quickly, Sokka distributed the compact time-measuring devices the Mechanist had furnished him with. He also passed the special eclipse-viewing spectacles that the inventor had advised him to bring. Everyone packed these gadgets accordingly.

"Okay," Sokka instructed, "I've already taught you how to use these things so let's test them."

Everyone held the time-measuring devices properly and adjusted the dials accordingly.

"We are now going to synchronize our time," Sokka continued to instruct as everyone else followed his example. Once this technicality had been taken care of, they signaled to Sokka and he gave the nod of approval.

"And you all know where we're going to meet after this is over?" Sokka verified with the teams.

"We all know, Sokka," the others replied in unison, rolling their eyes. Nevertheless, they all really appreciated Sokka's attention to detail. He had put a lot of effort into this plan and though none of them would dare say it out loud, for fear of feeding the Water Tribe Warrior's already swollen ego, Sokka had some touch of genius about him.

"Well, then," Sokka concluded after many more checks and verifications, "I guess this is it."

"You've said that about half a dozen times already," Toph scolded, "let's just go."

"Okay, okay," Sokka conceded, raising his hands defensively.

And as the others covered their heads with cloaks and masks, Katara carefully walked to where Zuko was standing. He looked at her with a sad smile. Their eyes were locked and it seemed that thousands of words were passing between them in the intensity of those gazes. They had only just been reunited after Zuko and Aang returned from the kingdom of the Sun Warriors and now they would be parting again. All of a sudden, they both realized how much time together on the island they had wasted without knowing it.

Then, without warning, Katara threw her arms around the firebender's neck and held him tight. At first taken aback by the gesture, Zuko then smiled and wrapped his arms around the waterbender's waist and returned the embrace. Katara held him tight, her eyes closed, trying to block the tears that threatened to flow. Now was not the time for tears, and she refused to cry.

They held each other tightly for those few precious and agonizing moments, each worried about the other, each unwilling to let go. But they knew that, no matter how much they wanted to, they couldn't stay like that forever.

The others watched the couple silently. Toph didn't even attempt to tease them, as she felt the fear and nervousness from the pounding of their hearts. Iroh smiled at the pair, once again, happy that Zuko had found someone to love. Aang no longer felt a pang of pain or jealousy as he watched them. Having attained detachment and balance, he had long realized his destiny and that the love he had had for Katara was something deep but not at all romantic.

The young Avatar smiled at his two friends. Somehow, he couldn't help but be happy for them both and hoped that at the end of all this, they would finally be together. He had never seen either of them so complete and blissful before and he hoped that there would indeed be a chance for that happy future.

"Be careful," Katara whispered into Zuko's ear as she held him close.

"You too," the firebender whispered back.

Then, after a few moments, they released each other slowly. Katara held Zuko's face with both hands and after gazing once more into those golden eyes, she pulled his face closer to hers, and their lips locked. They both closed their eyes as their emotions overflowed through the contact.

"Come back to me," she whispered after reluctantly pulling away from the kiss, and leaning her forehead against his.

"I promise," he whispered back.

--

_Author's note:_

_Sorry if there was too much sappiness in the latter part. Please let me know if I went overboard._

_Anyway, the calm before the storm is over. The next chapter will cover the intense events of the eclipse and the specific roles each team will be playing. Expect to see familiar faces and unexpected outcomes. At least, I hope that the outcomes will be unexpected for you. Thank you to everyone for your continuous and unfailing support of this story. I know that the end of the canon series is coming very soon and that most of you might lose interest in this when that happens. I won't blame you. I might lose interest in this if I become too depressed with the ending. But I have so much planned for it that I won't abandon it no matter what. But you will have to be patient with the updates. School work is piling up._

_Anyway, thank you again to everyone for all your support. Please continue to review this story if you have the time and inclination._

_By the way, I was really, really tempted to add something to Zuko and Iroh's little heart-to-heart moment but I felt that one blatant allusion to an epic series is more than enough. Nevertheless, I just MUST add this even in just an author's note and not as part of the story continuity, not that it makes that much of a difference. Anyway, here's what I was sorely tempted to type in the chapter. I'm sure you all know where this came from and I will say that I do not own the structure of the following lines._

"_You have the opportunity to become the noblest contradiction in history," Iroh told his nephew with a proud smile. Zuko looked up at his uncle curiously._

"_The firebender who brought peace to the Four Nations."_


	5. Part One, Chapter 4

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender" is among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER FOUR**

"Can I just say that you look absolutely creepy?"

"Thanks a lot, Sokka," Katara replied sarcastically, "you're not looking too good yourself."

"Hey!" the Water Tribe Warrior yelled in protest. Katara hurriedly shushed him as they hid from the Fire Nation guards. Fortunately, none of the men so much as looked up from where they were staring blankly at space.

"Nice going, genius," she teased in a hushed tone, "a little louder and the guards will hear us."

"Sorry," Sokka whispered apologetically. They knelt in the shadows, behind a large boulder, looking over at where the prison guards paced lazily along. Katara was eager to attack but she knew better than to do so. This was not the time to act rashly. Besides, they were still short of one member of the team.

"What's taking her so long?" Sokka complained, glancing at the time-measuring device frantically, and tempted to bring out his schedule again to see how much time they were wasting.

"Will you stop whining and keep it down," Katara warned him, as she looked carefully at the lazy-looking guard who paced the building. Based on her observations, most of the more competent guards and soldiers had been deployed to the capital, near the palace, to ward off the expected attacks from the allied forces. So only a bunch of low-ranked, dull-looking soldiers were left to defend the prisons. It was exactly as Iroh described during their strategic planning sessions. Maximum defense was concentrated near the palace so the defenses were down in other parts of the Fire Nation.

The two siblings smiled with satisfaction. So far, so good. It would be easier for them to fulfill their assigned tasks this way. Now, all they needed was one more person.

After a few minutes, the Water Tribe sibling heard sounds of movement coming from the bushes nearby. Katara opened her gourd and bent a water whip out while Sokka raised his blade. They looked at each other before raising their weapons carefully, anticipating the figure that would emerge from the foliage.

"Sorry I'm late, you guys," the warrior girl apologized with a grin, "there were a couple of soldiers standing in my way. I just needed to take care of them accordingly. Don't worry though, the rest of the girls are at their delegated positions and are only waiting for our command."

The Water Tribe siblings immediately dropped their weapons and smiled at the new arrival. It was just whom they were waiting for, the warrior maiden of Kyoshi Island, Suki. Sokka rushed forward to embrace his beloved warrior and the long-awaited reunion was sweet.

It had been several weeks since they had busted the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors out of the high security Fire Nation prison known as the Boiling Rock. Zuko, and Iroh had shown them the way and with the combination of Toph's metalbending the prison doors and Katara's waterbending the boiling lake, they were able to rescue Suki successfully and stealthily. They had done their operation under the cover of night and then, Toph had bended the prison door back to its original form so there were almost no traces of change. Zuko and Sokka had successfully disguised as prison guards and they threw the real guards off their trail. So in the end, by the time the guards realized that a prisoner was missing, they had been long gone.

After a happy reunion with his loved one, Sokka started finalizing the plans for the eclipse and the arrival of the comet. Suki had expressed a desire to free the rest of the Kyoshi warriors. While everyone was willing to help her in this endeavour, they also realized that they could not afford to have every single person working on this mission. There were other tasks that they had to accomplish. So Sokka discussed the plans with Suki and then, Aang and Zuko went with Suki before they proceeded to the realm of the Sun Warriors. They, of course, successfully liberated the other Kyoshi Warriors and then before they parted ways, they finalize the plans. Suki and her girls had agreed to meet up with Sokka and Katara on the day of the eclipse, to help facilitate a massive prison break. In the meantime, they decided to pose as regular Fire Nation girls and to do some spying and investigation of their enemies' movements.

Suki was in full armor, with the traditional Kyoshi Warrior make-up on her face. She had her weapons ready and she looked very eager to begin. She smiled at the two Water Tribe siblings and returned Sokka's embrace.

Seeing the reunion, Katara grinned. Had she seen this several weeks ago, she would have rolled their eyes or teased them mercilessly. But the situation had changed and she now knew exactly how those two felt after seeing each other again. She knew the feeling well. In fact, she could not help but let her mind wander to a certain scar-faced firebender. Then, she shook her head. She was determined not to be distracted or diverted from the task at hand.

The three of them now hid behind the large boulder and glanced at the oblivious guards circling the prison. They each planned their strategy, angle of attack, and method, as they observed the positions of the various soldiers.

"By the way, Katara," Suki commented as they prepared to launch their attacks, "you look…"

"Creepy, right?" Sokka interrupted rather rudely, "my sentiments exactly."

The two girls rolled their eyes at Sokka and smiled. Boys were so typical.

"I was about to say stunning, Sokka," Suki corrected, much to Sokka's dismay.

"Why, thank you, Suki," Katara replied, "I'm glad someone thinks so. You look beautiful as well."

"Thank you," Suki replied with a grin.

"Okay, so will you stop complimenting each other and concentrate on the task?" Sokka interrupted but the two girls simply ignored him.

"Where did you get the idea for such an elaborate disguise?" Suki asked Katara.

"Well," the waterbender answered, "while I was traveling around remote villages of the Fire Nation when Aang and Zuko were busy going to the ancient source of firebending, I heard a lot of stories and legends about a river spirit called the Painted Lady."

"Oh, no, here we go," Sokka groaned, rolling his eyes. His sister glared at him but continued her story.

"She was supposedly a guardian spirit of some sort," Katara continued, "who watched over poor towns during their times of need. She would deliver food to the hungry, healing to the sick, and all that kind of stuff. I figured that if there was any disguise I would have to use, dressing up as the Painted Lady seemed appropriate. After all, that's exactly what we're all trying to do, right? Except on a much larger scale."

"But how did you find out how she looked like if she was just a town legend?" Suki asked. Sokka was tapping his foot impatiently but the other two didn't seem to notice his impatience.

"Well," Katara explained, "in one of the villages I visited I saw a lot of small figurines and paintings depicting what the townspeople believed the spirit looked like. The costume was relatively simple, a ragged gown, a conical hat like this one, and a diaphanous white veil. I also based the make-up on those references I mentioned earlier, with a bit of creative license and improvisation, of course."

"Well, you certainly do look mystical," Suki complimented Katara.

"Thank you," Katara replied, "but this isn't all for dramatic effect, you know. My disguise serves a double purpose."

"Fashion and function," Sokka muttered although he was very curious, not having heard this part of Katara's plan before, "I'm glad that you put those together."

"Do tell," Suki asked the waterbender curiously.

"Based on our investigations," Katara explained, "the low-ranked soldiers who were deployed to guard the prisons temporarily while the better fighters are off defending the palace, are extremely superstitious. Therefore, I believe that the sight of an ancient river spirit might scare them off, or at least distract them to the point that our mission would proceed a lot faster than we expected it to."

Sokka and Suki both looked at Katara with astonishment and admiration. Suki congratulated the waterbending master on her plan.

"Very impressive, Katara," Sokka complimented after a few moments of consideration, "I'm glad that some of my genius is finally rubbing off on you."

"Very funny, Sokka," Katara replied wryly.

"Still the inflated ego, I see," Suki whispered to Katara with a soft chuckle.

"Some things remain constant, Suki," Katara whispered back and both girls suppressed a fit of giggles. Sokka frowned at them.

"The other Kyoshi Warriors and I haven't been idle these past few weeks," Suki said on a more serious tone although she still had a twinkle of mischief in her eyes, "we've been doing some investigation of our own and we discovered several things about this batch of guards taking over for the original troops."

The two Water Tribe siblings listened intently to the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors as she explained the results of her own investigation.

"It seems," Suki told them, "that not only are these soldiers superstitious as you said, Katara, they're rather provincial too."

"Meaning?" Sokka verified.

"Meaning they haven't gotten around much," Suki explained, "their world view is rather limited and they probably have never been outside the Fire Nation in their entire lives. Therefore, as much as they would be spooked by the sight of a river spirit like you, Katara, I'll bet they will be just as surprised to see a group of armed _girls _attacking them. Apparently, most of them come from old-fashioned, patriarchal societies. Who knows? Their lack of experience might actually save us some time."

"That's amazingly useful information, Suki," Katara commended, "and very much to our advantage."

"That's a little bit lax of the Fire Lord, isn't it?" Sokka said suspiciously, "I mean I heard that Azula herself had taken care of the defense systems." The two other girls shrugged.

"Maybe he's just so overconfident about success," Katara reasoned, "and besides, from all the information we've been feeding Azula's spies, I'm sure they've both been thrown way off track."

"We added an extra strategy by the way," Suki said all of a sudden.

"Really? What is it?" Sokka asked eagerly.

"Well," Suki explained with a mischievous smile, "since these guards are relatively inexperienced and old-fashioned, not to mention _patriarchal, _some of my girls are not in full armor and instead are dressed in regular, Fire Nation attire. They will innocently approach some of the soldiers and when the men are off their guard, they will strike. I mean, macho, chauvinistic men have a tendency to underestimate us fighting girls." With that, Suki winked at an embarrassed Sokka, much to Katara's amusement.

The Water Tribe warrior said nothing and tried to hide his blush. The two girls giggled as softly as they could manage, savoring the moment.

"Brilliant, that is absolutely brilliant," Katara commended Suki, "taking advantage of your enemies' weaknesses. You are a true master at the art of war."

"I try," Suki said with a shrug and a wide grin. After a while, even Sokka admitted that the strategy was a good one.

"By the way, there's something else we found out," Suki continued saying, "it seems that the original, more competent guards who were sent to strengthen the defense at the Fire Nation capital are not all loyal to the Fire Lord. In fact, some of them are working for us, indirectly."

"You mean they're part of the secret rebel force?" Katara asked with astonishment. Suki nodded.

"Wow, we're luckier than I thought," Sokka said after this revelation.

"I was even lucky to have the opportunity to speak with the leader of the rebels," Suki added, much to Sokka and Katara's surprise.

"You are lucky," Sokka said with admiration, "even I've never met the leader before although we've received regular communication about the rebels' activities. What's he like?"

Suki couldn't help but roll her eyes. Katara suspected that she knew the reason.

"You're still quite sexist, aren't you, Sokka?" Suki teased.

"What?" Sokka replied with surprise.

"You automatically assumed that the impressive leader of the rebel forces was a man," Katara explained, rolling her eyes as well, "while I'm quite certain she was a woman."

"Exactly," Suki agreed.

"Well, what was _she _like?" Sokka asked, silently complaining about how girls could be so sensitive.

Suki recalled her meeting with the leader and smiled with awe before answering.

"A very regal lady," Suki described, "with the bearing of a queen, and a very lively wit. I was surprised to see that she was a firebender but it was clear that she was absolutely opposed to the war and to the Fire Lord. By the way she conducted herself, I have a pretty good feeling that she either is a member of the royal family or comes from nobility somehow."

The whole time Suki was describing the rebel leader, Katara had been silent and pensive. Despite all the blatant clues about the leader's identity, Katara couldn't be sure. After all, there were two women who more or less fit the bill. Sokka was looking sideways at his sister, having similar suspicions but since he was not very well acquainted with the twin sisters, he could not be sure whom Suki was referring to.

"And one more thing," Suki said finally, "although I didn't see it myself, I heard from some of my girls that this lady firebender was capable of melting metal with her bending."

And that was the clincher. Katara knew at once that there could only be one person Suki was referring to.

"That's Melisande, all right," the waterbender said with a smile.

"You're sure?" Sokka asked his sister and she nodded. Suki now looked perplexedly at the siblings.

"You know the leader of the rebel troops?" the Kyoshi Warrior asked.

"Quite well," Katara replied, "I spent a lot of time under her care when Zuko and I were mysteriously sent to the island where she had been banished for eight years."

Suki raised her eyebrows at this. Katara shot her a look that said "it's a long story."

"Anyway," the waterbender continued, "she's Zuko's aunt and the identical twin sister of his mother, Ursa. She left us as soon as we had returned from the island several weeks ago and we haven't heard much from her since, only that she would meet up with us when the time was right. I'm glad to finally hear some news about her activities. It seems that she hasn't been idle as well."

"I'll say," Suki commented, "to have organized such an extensive and competent force of rebels as well as a network of spies that could almost rival Princess Azula's, she is very talented."

"Well," Katara said with a smile, "I guess she's had a lot of time to think this through."

"Okay, okay, that's enough chit-chat for now," Sokka interrupted, pointing to his time device, "it's almost time for us to make our move."

The two girls looked serious, prepared themselves, and then nodded at the warrior. He donned his wolf warrior helmet and got ready. With a determined look, Sokka dashed forward and Suki gave the signal to the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors to strike.

--

Not one of the Fire Sages was aware that their secret archives were being broken into. So busy were all these priests with the preparations for the eclipse that no one had noticed the two hooded figures that stealthily made their way through the maze-like halls of the ancient scrolls.

The aged sages moved to and fro, busying themselves with the requirements for the rituals and ceremonies they would perform once the sun was blocked by the moon. They readied all the sacrifices, the props, the altars. They donned the ceremonial attire and muttered the ceremonial prayers and exhortations to themselves over and over again. All the Fire Sages were clearly too occupied to worry about intruders. Besides, they didn't expect any. Based on their information, it was the Fire Lord who was in danger, and not any of their dusty, moth-eaten ancient records. But then, one must never underestimate the value of age-old myths and legends. More often than not, these stories had some realistic basis or other. And in a world where miracles and wonders never ceased to occur, anything was possible.

When the last of the Fire Sages had proceeded to one of the large, cavernous chambers where they were to perform their eclipse rituals, two hooded figures came out from behind two of the large pillars in the tomb. The larger figure carefully opened the spiral staircase leading to the secret Dragon Bone catacombs and then started his descent. The smaller figure followed suit and they proceeded to the dusty and musty underground archives of the Fire Nation.

Iroh led the way through the labyrinthine passages, with Aang keeping up from behind. It seemed that they were always together when it came to exploring hidden, underground catacombs. First, it was Ba Sing Se, and now this place. There was a great difference between those instances however. And this time, Aang was able to hold his own flame to guide him through the dank and dark hall ways.

They moved quickly, not wasting a single moment and determined to find answers to the mysteries that plagued them. As he moved, the young Avatar clutched at the small piece of cloth with the woven pattern of the key that the Sun Warriors had given him. When he had discussed this thing with his firebending masters, Iroh and Zuko, they had immediately suggested this place as a possible site for answers or at least, helpful and relevant information.

The Dragon Bone Catacombs of the Fire Nation had a vast collection of knowledge and extensive information which was only surpassed by the knowledge in the Great Spirit Wan Shi Tong's now buried library. Fire Lord Sozin and his successors had made sure that they knew as much about their enemies as the could, to always have the greater advantage in battles and invasions. This was one reason the Fire Nation had been so successful in imposing its power over the other nations for a hundred years. The Fire Lord knew much about his enemies while the Fire Nation in general was shrouded in mystery.

Added to that was Fire Lord Sozin's obsession with finding and learning as much as he could about the Avatar. Having been unsuccessful in capturing the last airbender, the older Fire Lord had accumulated all the information he could about the Avatar, in the hope of somehow finding where the boy had hidden himself. And since Aang's mysterious "disappearance" was something no one had anticipated or imagined, there had been no reports whatsoever which helped the Fire Lord in his quest. Nevertheless, he was still very much aware of the potential threat of the Avatar and wanted to make sure that nothing would stand in the way of complete and utter world domination. So he had his most learned scholars gather as many legends, myths, reports, rumors, and any other source of information about the Avatar to try and see how he could destroy this elusive being.

This project had been continued by Sozin's successor, Azulon, and then, to some extent, Iroh, before Azulon's untimely death and Ozai's ascension to the throne. Azulon had continued the venture for the same reasons as his father but Iroh had been more curious and interested in the folk lore and cultural aspect of the Avatar's history than in the potential military benefits any of the information might serve.

Ozai, on the other hand, had never been very keen on the activity, especially considering that the Avatar had not been seen for a hundred years. Although very recently the current Fire Lord had taken a renewed interest in the matter since the person who had seemed like a mere myth had suddenly appeared and was now a potential threat. The Fire Sages had noted that Fire Lord Ozai had begun very meticulous investigation about the Avatar (sometimes done in secret), especially considering Zuko's failure to capture the airbender.

Before Zuko had left for his three-year banishment, he had secretly visited the hidden archives to try and gather as much information as he could in order to find the Avatar. Of course, the knowledge being so extensive, the prince had not had the opportunity to explore and read all the scrolls stored there. And this was why Iroh and Aang had come back to this place.

Once the two benders had reached the place where all the information about the Avatar had been stored, they began their search. Iroh had already skipped all the scrolls and records which he had pored through before, to save them time, and they tried to browse through as many scrolls as they could.

The old firebender noticed a familiar sense of tension and urgency in the usually calm young airbender. Iroh sighed, having often encountered such a countenance from his nephew, and laid a hand gently on the Avatar's shoulder.

"You won't find the answers you are looking for," Iroh advised, "if you are too impatient."

Aang looked at the old man and smiled gratefully, releasing the scroll he had grabbed suddenly and unrolling another one more carefully.

"I'm sorry," the airbender said with a sigh, "everything just seems so complicated now. And it was my idea to come to this place to find answers about this key thing instead of helping out with the rest of the mini-invasion. I just don't want to return empty-handed."

"I understand your concern about this matter," Iroh consoled the boy in a calm tone, "and I know that you think that you are abandoning your friends for a selfish reason. But believe me when I say that what we are doing now might prove to be a great help to all the people in the world."

"That's what I'm hoping for," Aang replied, "that whatever I find here will help me defeat the Fire Lord and fulfill my destiny. I thought that everything would depend on Sokka's plan and my friends' support. But when the Sun Warrior chief gave me this clue to my heritage, I can't explain it, but something just told me that this was important, that this would help me."

"In my experience," Iroh told Aang as the old man unrolled another scroll and replaced another in its shelf, "hunches tend to be more powerful than any amount of logical or rational undertaking. I don't have anything against planning things carefully and meticulously. But I've seen the power of intuition, and I think that it is wise for you to trust yours."

"Thank you," the Avatar replied sincerely, replacing another scroll in its shelf. They both then proceeded with their task of poring through the manuscripts to find any clue about the key. Several times they encountered some information about the Avatar state and the unrivalled power possessed by the Avatar spirit. More interestingly, they found some vague but frequently occurring allusions to a "giant in chains" who was to be "liberated" by the person "who possessed the key". But after about a dozen more scrolls, they were starting to lose hope.

"Maybe this key is just a symbol or allegory to something more abstract," Iroh hypothesized, after discarding yet another dusty scroll and wiping his hands on his already dusty robes. Aang said nothing as he continued opening and scanning scrolls.

"Perhaps it may even be a metaphor for you," Iroh thought out loud, "about how you may be the key to restoring peace and balance to this war-torn world. It can't be just as simple as finding an actual key. We can't always take these clues literally, you know."

"As much as I respect your opinion," Aang said in a mysterious tone, "I beg to disagree. I believe that there really is a key."

Iroh raised his eyebrow at the young Avatar and walked over to where Aang was bent down among a pile of scrolls and artifacts. Dusty and sweaty though the boy may have been, he had a triumphant look on his face. And in his hands he held a small box, with the same markings and patterns as the piece of cloth the Sun Warriors had given him. Iroh was astonished but also very eager to see what was inside the box. They still weren't sure what the key would be for but it certainly would be encouraging to see the physical manifestation of their efforts.

Hands shaking with excitement and anticipation, Aang slowly and carefully opened the box. Iroh looked over the boy's shoulder eagerly. Then, their faces fell.

There was nothing in it.

But there could be no doubt that this was the container that held the key in Aang's picture. The shape and size of the key had been carved into the box, a perfect fit for the key. This was evidence that the object did exist. Despite their disappointment, the two benders were still buoyed by this discovery.

Iroh borrowed the container and examined it very carefully. The old man's eyes narrowed.

"This box had been opened recently," Iroh observed out loud, and his frown deepened, "very recently."

_--_

_There it is. Thank you for your patience. The canon finale looms and I'm still hoping that you won't lose interest in this story when Avatar is done. Thank you. I'll update as soon as I can._


	6. Part One, Chapter 5

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender" is among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER FIVE**

The young Fire Nation guard couldn't help but adjust his helmet and smoothen his armor before walking up to the pretty young country girl who seemed to be lost. His was such a thankless job and rarely did he have an opportunity to catch up with the remnants of his already diminished social life.

Seeing the girl wave pleasantly and smile brightly at him, the guard felt immediately lighter and happier. After all, he was a simple man, with simple needs, and he knew how to appreciate the simple pleasures of life.

He puffed up his chest and stood as straight as he could manage in his rusty armor, and strutted in the most dignified way possible towards the girl. She tilted her head in a greeting. The girl had long, dark hair, and green eyes. The soldier disregarded the fact that she didn't look like someone from the Fire Nation because he was too excited to finally be able to speak with a member of the opposite sex after spending so much time among burly, smelly men his age.

"A-hem," the soldier cleared his throat and said in the deepest voice he could muster, "may I help you with anything? It isn't safe for you to be walking around in the vicinity of a prison like this. This place is full of hardened criminals who could do you harm."

"Oh, hello," the young girl said innocently with the sweetest smile, "I was just taking a look around."

"Well, miss," the guard replied, "this isn't exactly the right time to be exploring the area. If you weren't aware, a solar eclipse is about take place in a couple of hours. It would be advisable for you to go home for now, so that you will be safe."

"But I might not be able to get home in such a short time," the girl said in mock-helplessness, "surely a big, strong guard like yourself could protect me from any danger that might come my way."

The guard turned a bright crimson and placed one of his hands on his chin as if in deep, serious thought.

"Well, I guess I could," he muttered slowly. But unfortunately for that young provincial Fire Nation guard, he was knocked out from behind by one of the Kyoshi warriors who was dressed in full armor and make-up.

The young girl who had been engaging him in small talk rolled her eyes and grinned at her comrade.

"They are so naïve and gullible, he never even suspected a thing," the plain clothes Kyoshi warrior commented, "this is almost too easy."

Her companion grinned back at her and replied, "And the best part is. The moment he comes to, he won't even remember being attacked by anyone."

"I know," the first girl said with a giggle, "all he will be able to recall was sharing a pleasant conversation with a charming and fascinating stranger."

"Very funny," the other girl teased, "but come on, charming girl, we've got more work to do."

And with that, the two Kyoshi warriors ran into the prison to join the rest of their other companions as they freed the prisoners. On their way in, they had to stand aside as several (rather oblivious prison guards) rushed out of the prison screaming in terror. The two girls looked at each other perplexedly and then shrugged before proceeding inside.

They met a few other Kyoshi warriors on their way out, escorting some of the prisoners.

"What was that all about?" the first girl asked her companions, motioning to where the guards had fled as fast as they could. The other Kyoshi warriors grinned knowingly.

"Remember how we discovered that they were very superstitious?" one of the girls replied in an amused tone. The first two girls nodded.

"Well, Master Katara dressed up as one of the local river spirits," the warrior explained, "and with the help of some waterbending and a few spooky noises from her brother, she sent them on their way."

"They didn't even bother putting up a fight," one of the other female fighters responded with a laugh, "ironically, we're in the Fire Nation, the very homeland of our greatest enemies, but this has so far, been the most peaceful mission we've ever had."

"I can agree with that," added another girl, dressed as a medic, who emerged from the inner halls of the prison, "so far we've had no casualties on either side, except maybe for a couple dozen unconscious guards."

"And maybe some who were traumatized by the sight of a river spirit," another girl said in jest, making the whole group burst into laughter, "to think that they were even shocked and frightened by the sight of Master Suki and the rest of us in full armor and make-up. Even Sokka was able to scare some of them away in his Water Tribe armor. These soldiers

really don't get out much. Well, all the better for us."

They then parted ways as the second group of girls helped the prisoners escape as quickly as possible. Once the Kyoshi warriors had taken the prisoners to a grove relatively deep into the woods, they met up with one of their allies from Melisande's rebel forces, who would take these prisoners to safe hiding places until the war was over. The people they were freeing from the prison cells were not, as the guard has mistakenly told the Kyoshi warrior in disguise, hardened criminals. They were mostly civilians who had dared oppose the rule of the Fire Lord or of his representatives in the local government units.

However, not all the prisoners really needed refuge, not all of them were helpless innocents who were victims of Fire Nation injustice and corruption. Most of them were rebels as well and they were more than happy to join the rebel troops to fight against the Fire Lord. Once they were properly assembled, the representatives from Melisande's forces escorted them to their hideouts and safe havens while a new batch of representatives arrived to receive the next batch of prisoners. With this interesting arrangement, everyone benefited from the plan and the Avatar's allies only increased.

Everyone involved marvelled at how smoothly the entire system was functioning. They began to truly admire the organizational skills of their leaders, seeing that all the effort they had put into planning these prison breaks had not gone to waste at all.

After the last of the prisoners had been taken to their respective places and every prison cell in that remote correctional facility had been emptied, the leaders of the raid stepped out into the darkening sky. Sokka, Katara, and Suki told the rest of their comrades to wear the protective eye wear that the mechanist had provided them with. The eclipse had already begun.

"Excellent work, everybody," Sokka praised the group as they covered their eyes with the eye wear, "so far, so good. We were able to successfully infiltrate this medium-level correctional facility and liberate all the prisoners. There are still a couple of other places we have to hit while the eclipse is going on but this was the biggest. And considering our amazing rate of success here, I don't think we are going to encounter any serious threats in our other targets."

Everyone gave a loud cheer at this and raised their (relatively unused) weapons high.

"See what a little optimism can do," Katara whispered to Sokka who couldn't help but smile. Suki looked at him with amusement as well.

"Thank you for all your hard work, everyone," Suki commended her companions, "and you may be sure that whatever small damage we are able to cause today will have significant repercussions on our enemies in the near future."

"I'm sure that what we're doing now doesn't seem to be very significant in terms of winning this war," Katara addressed the people, "but believe me, our actions are making a great impact on the lives of the people we are freeing and ultimately, on the fate of the Four Nations."

"This campaign isn't just about winning the war," Sokka continued, "it's about helping everyone rebuild their lives after this century-long devastation. If there's anything we learned during our exploration of the different towns in the Fire Nation, is that there are people here, members of the same race as our greatest enemies, who also suffer from oppression and injustice. We from the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribe are not the only victims in this whole, chaotic situation. Even people from the Fire Nation suffer from the Fire Lord's ruthless quest for ultimate power. And that is not just what we are fighting against, not just one power-hungry, evil, sadistic man, but we are also fighting against the injustice he imposed, even on his own people, and we fight to prevent this kind of misery from ever happening again."

Once again, the crowd gave a resounding cry of support for Sokka's statements. He paused before giving the final part of his speech.

"The Avatar has returned to restore peace and balance in the Four Nations," Sokka continued, "but it would not be right or fair for us to simply depend on him to finish the job. Powerful master of elements though he may be, he is still just one person and he needs all the help and support that he can get if he wants to fulfill his duty to the world. And isn't it our world as well? We have as much responsibility as the Avatar himself to make sure that this place, our home, isn't destroyed by the ravage and destruction of this war. So let's do our part by the world, let's help the Avatar save it."

The Water Tribe warrior sighed with relief. People were looking up at him with admiration and he really appreciated it. He wasn't fuelling his ego at all. In fact, he had been so nervous about addressing the troops, fearing that he would fumble with his words, or end up telling a long and completely irrelevant story. He had rehearsed this speech over and over in his head during the past few weeks but it came out a lot better than he could ever have expected. He turned to Katara and Suki who were both smiling at him with unspoken pride.

He attributed much of his success to Iroh's guidance and advice. The old firebending master had given him many helpful tips about how to approach the troops and to exude charisma and confidence. The task had seemed so daunting then and as the date drew nearer, it had become even more intimidating. Even until this morning, he had had no idea on what exactly to say to everyone, or even if the entire enterprise would be such a success. Nothing had been certain then, despite all their careful planning, and he had shown himself to be the most nervous of them all.

Thankfully, it seemed that the others had been right. Though the tasks ahead were difficult, they were a very capable group and they had made very careful preparations in the event of any hindrances. They weren't completely invulnerable to attacks, of course, but they were all more than well trained to take care of such things by themselves. And all this was also to help Aang fulfill his destiny.

Katara motioned to Sokka, and pointed at the time measuring device. He nodded at her and signalled the other Kyoshi warriors to keep a move on. They all nodded and immediately charged to the next targeted prison. Despite the resounding success of the biggest target, they still had much to accomplish, and little time to do so. The eclipse and the shocking aftermath it would leave will not last very long and they all needed to take advantage of this rare opportunity.

The group dispersed into pre-formed teams who all went to their assigned venues and facilitated the escape of more prisoners and rebels. Thankfully, in some of the prisons, some of the guards were secretly Melisande's spies, which made it all the more efficient for them to transport the other prisoners.

While all the most powerful soldiers in the Fire Nation waited in vain for a reported attack from the Avatar's camp, a series of small but strategic prison breaks were being facilitated by Sokka, Katara, Suki, and their respective teams. While the army was concentrated on defending the capital from an attack that was never to occur, the rebel forces were increasing exponentially and little by little, the tyranny imposed by the Fire Lord was being weakened. This was being done in increments, but when the total damage would be tallied later on, the Fire Lord's war ministers would have great cause to worry.

"While we wont' be launching a direct attack at the seat of the Fire Nation's power," Iroh had explained during one of the strategic planning sessions, "we will still be inflicting significant and widespread damage. Carefully, we will be chipping away little bits of the foundation of the Fire Lord's power. So when the time comes for Aang to confront the Fire Lord, the latter will have noticed that his forces would have been severely depleted."

"Not only that," Zuko had added, "with our close coordination with the mysterious but efficient rebel troops, your causing the prison breaks would serve as a great and quick way of recruiting more members to our side. It would be strength in numbers my father or Azula could never have imagined."

"They were right," Sokka thought as he continued unlocking cells and releasing prisoners. Even if they hadn't directly attacked the Fire Lord that day of the eclipse, they were already weakening his defenses.

"We're finished over here," Suki cried out as the last of her batch of prisoners had made their escape. Sokka ran towards her and nodded. They both exited the prison hall together. As they came out, they noticed that the darkness was slowly being pierced by the sun's light.

"The eclipse is nearly over," Sokka muttered, "we have to go now. Where's Katara?"

They looked around frantically but in a few moments, the waterbender's mystical-looking form appeared from around the corner of the building. Quickly, she unfroze the unconscious guards from where she had stuck them to the walls of the prison, erasing all evidence of waterbending in the area. Seeing her brother and Suki waving at her, she ran towards them.

Suki was giving final orders to her girls to wear their disguises, to go back into hiding or to

make sure that they followed her to the appointed rendez-vous point after a few days.

"Once the Fire Lord finds about this," Suki said, "I doubt he'll be pleased. Most likely, he'll become more tyrannical than ever and there won't be any safe place for any of us to keep hiding here."

Sokka pointed at the sky once his sister stood beside him and said, "it's time to go."

Katara nodded and then, the three made their way through the woods and as far away from the scene of their crime as possible. The rest of the Kyoshi warriors and rebels took different paths and soon disappeared into the foliage.

After fleeing swiftly through the woods, the three fighters reached a large grove, near the sea shore, where Appa was waiting for them. They quickly climbed up the giant sky-bison's furry back.

"Yip, yip," Sokka told the great beast and with a powerful blast of his tail, Appa soared high in the air. While they were flying, Katara bent the water from the clouds to form a camouflage around the flying bison.

The sun was now shining brightly all over the Fire Nation and they were beginning to feel the intense heat from its rays. The eclipse was over.

As Sokka and Suki discussed the results of the raid, Katara's mind was elsewhere. As her arms moved in coordinated movements, bending the clouds around them, she felt both relief and worry. Her part in the eclipse was duly accomplished. But she was still concerened about the others. Somehow, she wasn't too worried about Iroh and Aang. Their task was certainly important but it didn't seem that dangerous, especially considering that Iroh knew all the secret passageways that would enable them to enter and escape without detection. Besides, if they encountered any problems, they were the Dragon of the West and the Avatar.

No, it was Zuko and Toph she was worried about. Of course, Katara did not doubt their abilities in the least. But their task was undoubtedly the riskiest one of all and it required far more than just physical strength. She tried to imagine what was happening and forced herself to ignore the worst case scenario.

Sokka noticed his sister's knotted brow and tense expression and this time, he was the one who laid a calming hand on her shoulder.

Katara turned her glistening eyes towards her brother and he gave her a comforting look.

"Have faith in them, Katara," Sokka advised his sister, "I know we're all going to see each other again at the appointed time and place. Just have a little optimism, remember?"

The waterbender relaxed a bit and smiled at her brother.

"Thanks, Sokka," she replied softly.

--

Even with his patient and generally positive nature, the Avatar could not help but be frustrated. Clutching the ornamented box tightly, his hands shook with exasperation and he all but flung the thing across the room.

"Why," Aang said with a knotted brow, "why is it that whenever I get close to finding a solution, something always, always stands in my way? There always seems to be one missing piece to the puzzle."

He sank down onto a pile of old scrolls, sending a cloud of dust which he immediately airbended away from him. He still held the box in his hand and was now staring at it intently. One thing was clear, the key he needed did indeed exist. But someone had beaten him to it.

Iroh had been silent all throughout Aang's little outburst and the older firebender seemed to be deep in thought. Aang soon noticed his companion's silence and looked curiously at where Iroh stood very, very still.

"What's the matter?" the Avatar asked the older firebender in a gentler tone. Iroh turned to Aang with a strange, unreadable expression on his face and the airbender was quite unaware of how to react to this.

Iroh slowly approached Aang and in a very sad and sincerely apologetic tone, the old man said, "Forgive me. This is all my doing."

Aang was taken aback and greatly puzzled by this response and quickly asked the firebender what he was talking about. Iroh sighed sadly before he answered.

"Only a very select few members of the Fire Lord's family know about the ancient records and scrolls that Fire Lord Sozin gathered about the Avatar," Iroh explained, "although he asked scholars to bring him these reports, only the Fire Lord himself would store them and only he knew the way into this secret section of the Dragon Bone Catacombs. No one else, not even the highest ranked of the Fire Sages, was allowed down here except for the Fire Lord or his heir. So the knowledge of how to get here was passed from the Fire Lord to his eldest son. When my father, Fire Lord Azulon, was in power, he showed me the way to get here when I was still very young. Very young and very foolish."

Aang listened intently although he wondered what Iroh was referring to.

"Let's just say," Iroh continued, "that if my father learned of my disobedience of the oath of secrecy regarding this place, he would have had me killed. You see I have only shown the way to this place to three other people. That would be you, Zuko, and my younger brother, Ozai."

It took quite a while for this revelation to sink in. Aang simply sat and stared silently at Iroh, but his gaze would wander from Iroh to the container of the key and then back to Iroh. The light from their lamps flickered and sent shadows dancing and bouncing across the earthen walls. They had lit those lamps before they started browsing through the many scrolls since the eclipse had been about to take place and they would soon lose their firebending and in effect, their source of light.

Of course, Aang did not blame Iroh in the least for revealing this information. He knew that the old man was guilty enough about his misdeed and that the consequence was really nothing he could have controlled. And a small part of Aang told him that at least, they already knew who currently possessed the key. But how much of a good thing this was could not be readily determined.

"And to think," Iroh said in frustration, more to himself than to Aang, "that I could have prevented all this, I could have made it possible for you to have an easier time fulfilling your destiny, that I could have simply not shown Ozai this place. Or if I had discovered the key first, I might have been able to keep it, to deliver it to you instead of telling you now that what could be your ultimate secret weapon is now in the hands of your greatest enemy. Oh, I was such a fool!"

"That's enough, Iroh," Aang comforted the firebending master, "it is over and done with and I am sure that you never meant for this to happen."

"Of course I didn't," Iroh said sadly, "but I just cannot help but imagine just how much better it would have been if I had been just a little bit wiser then."

"You told me once" Aang said gently, "we can never find out the courses that our actions will take or the reach of their impact in the future. But what we can do is try and rectify those past mistakes with what we do in the present. And that is exactly what we're doing, isn't it? Trying to make up for past mistakes."

Iroh nodded with a small, grateful smile at Aang. The young Avatar had indeed grown wiser in such a short span of time, and with such a great mindset, the older firebender knew that Aang would soon be ready to face his destiny. And determined to be of use to the airbender, Iroh stood up straighter and began rummaging through more scrolls. Aang raced his eyebrow at this and asked Iroh what he was doing.

"We can definitely not steal the key from my brother," Iroh explained, "I'm very sure that he keeps it more well-protected than any other possession. But I do believe that there might still be another for us to discover what that key opens. And considering that only the Avatar is meant to possess whatever this key opens, I have a good feeling that you might still be able to get to it even without that key. Our theory that the key is merely an allegory to something else might still hold true. And you may yet be able to free that 'giant in chains' from the 'cave' if we dig deep enough in here."

Catching Iroh's drift, Aang also began to rummage through the rest of the scrolls, parchments, and artifacts, trying to find any clue that might lead them to more answers. Luckily for them, it seemed that Fire Lord Ozai had ended his search the moment he had acquired the key so they at least had some rather untouched documents at their disposal.

And, true enough, they were able to find many other documents pertaining to the legend about an ancient and extremely powerful giant who was captive in a large, deep cave somewhere between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom who could only be summoned by the Avatar in his time of greatest need. Aang and Iroh found variations of the legends as well as old (but ancient) maps which more or less gave approximate locations of this so-called cave. But since these maps and charts were made hundreds of years ago, the arrangement of the Four Nations was vastly different and it was hard to tell where this cave might be in the current setup.

Nevertheless, they were not discouraged. They had gathered enough information to support their theory that the physical key was not really essential to "unlocking" the ancient power. All the legends made mention of the Avatar being the sole being who could free this "giant" so Iroh and Aang felt that perhaps if the latter explored the other aspects of the Avatar state, he would find the answer. They also decided that it might be wise to send a message to Guru Pathik at the Eastern Air Temple so that the wise man may know about this development and possibly help them understand it better.

In a way, they were satisfied with their work. After all, they had found what they had originally set out to find although not exactly in the form that they expected it to be. And even with the realization that the Fire Lord knew (to some extent) about the ancient powers of the Avatar, Iroh and Aang still believed that Ozai would not be able to fully harness these powers on his own. And when they learned more about this mystery, perhaps the path to restoring peace and order to the world will become a little less complicated.

They gathered the most important of the scrolls and records into their knapsacks and prepared to leave the secret archives. When they were ready, they carefully made their way once more through the labyrinthine passages of the underground system. As Iroh and Aang pondered on their progress on this mission, they wondered about how the others did on their respective tasks. Sokka and Katara's task was straighforward enough and considering they had backup in the person of Suki and the rest of the Kyoshi warriors, success in that endeavour was not very unexpected. But what worried Aang and Iroh the most was Zuko and Toph's mission, the riskiest and most daring one of all. Iroh, especially, knew what that task meant to Zuko and what it would cost him. So the older firebender wished and prayed with all his heart that he would be able to see his nephew again at the appointed time.

Aang bended some earth and they emerged from this secret passageway into the heart of a deep and thick forest. Sensing no one in the vicinity for a certain radius, they began their flight away from the catacombs and the Fire Nation capital. The sun was shining brightly and the heat was beginning to be a bother.

Both Aang and Iroh consulted the time-measuring devices as they ran and the markings confirmed their suspicions. The eclipse was over.

_--_

_If you noticed, I've been writing the events during the eclipse in the past two chapters from two different perspectives. I hope it isn't too confusing. Please just see that Katara, Sokka, and Suki's prison breaks and Aang and Iroh's browsing through the archives are happening simultaneously. And now, I guess, you're all wondering what Toph and Zuko were doing all this time, and that is exactly what the next chapter will be all about. The events there happen at the same time as the events in chapters four and five._

_Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this one. Please leave a review. Thanks!_


	7. Part One, Chapter 6

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender, among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER SIX**

Swiftly and silently, the two figures made their way through the labyrinthine passages of the Fire Lord's secret underground hideout. Toph's superior senses told her that no one was following them or was even aware of their successful infiltration of the place. She couldn't help grinning smugly at their progress. Everything was going according to plan. So far, so good.

After covering quite a distance, they paused for a while to rest and catch their breath. Although they were both very strong and capable benders, Zuko was lagging behind a bit because the burden he was carrying. The carefully concealed item was life-size and it weighed almost as much as another person. So naturally, carrying such a thing on one's shoulders as one raced through various dark and complicated tunnels could hamper movement. Toph didn't bother teasing him about keeping up with her, despite her playful nature. She understood very well that now was hardly the time for any pleasantries. After resting for a few moments, they continued.

It wasn't so difficult traveling together since Zuko hardly had to tell Toph the directions. She could manage finding her way around very well and of course, she wasn't at all bothered by the darkness, whereas Zuko had to keep a small flame going to guide him along even while he carried the heavy load of their vital prop. When they entered the underground refuge of the Fire Lord, they had passed through a secret tunnel which Iroh had told them about. This was to avoid detection and any possible hindrances from others. They had especially wanted to avoid meeting Princess Azula along this trip. It was not because they couldn't handle facing her in a fight (in fact, Toph rather looked forward to a showdown). It was because they really had no time to waste if they were going to implement the plan properly. The passages they were using were one level below the rooms and chambers which Azula and her Father would be using throughout the eclipse. As much as possible, Toph should not be seen by anyone and Zuko would only be showing himself to one person. And that was all that mattered.

Taking stock of his surroundings and consulting Toph from time to time, Zuko found out that they were quickly nearing their destination. He focused all his energy on the task ahead, on carrying the heavy prop, and on moving quickly as he could, trying to keep up with the younger earthbender. The time for doubts and uncertainties was over and he had spent the whole night figuring everything out over and over again and conditioning himself accordingly, so that he would not be coming here unprepared.

Toph felt the ground with her bare feet and examined the terrain with her superior senses. She paused and made some stomping earthbending movements to get a clearer mental picture of the rooms directly above them. Even she had been amazed by the intricate and architecturally sound system of chambers and passages the previous Fire Lords had built to shelter them during attacks and solar eclipses. Such excellent underground building was only surpassed by the catacombs of Ba Sing Se and the secret city beneath Lake Laogai, and those were both at the heart of the Earth Kingdom. She wondered how long it had taken for this place to be built and how many slaves had toiled over these tunnels and passages. Then, she shook her head and told herself to focus. Now was not the time to admire the subterranean architecture of the Fire Nation.

They were getting closer and with each meter covered and with each minute passed, they were also both getting tenser and more nervous. Even Toph, who was usually the least agitated in the face of battle, now seemed slightly daunted by what they were about to do. Everyone had agreed that Zuko and Toph's role in the overall plan for the eclipse was the most complicated and most difficult to pull off. Nevertheless, once it succeeded, it would lay significant groundwork for Aang's eventual confrontation with the Fire Lord. So much depended on them and they were both determined not to disappoint anyone.

Zuko checked the time-measuring device Sokka had provided him with. According to it, there was only half an hour until the eclipse. But considering how close they were to their destination, this was not really much of a problem. Nevertheless, the young prince was struggling to keep his nerve. His task would be taxing not just physically but also psychologically. And if he was going to pull it off, he must be in the proper mindset. He would succeed, he must succeed. His life hung at the balance. And more importantly, he had promised her that he would come back. And he never, ever went back on his word.

He glanced at the young girl running ahead of him. Like all the Avatar's companions, she was not what she had seemed and when he had joined the Avatar's group, he had marveled at the amazing feats of earthbending the small girl could perform. There was no doubt that she was a true master at her element. Even more astounding for the firebender was the fact that Toph's blindness was not at all a liability to her. All her other senses had been enhanced to the point of her not even needing sight at all. Her ability to feel someone's presence from a certain distance was extremely helpful. She was also a very interesting person with a lively wit and biting sense of humor. Both of them had gotten along well during those weeks before he and Aang had separated from the group to go to the ancient source of firebending. In fact, Toph had been the one who had suggested that trip to them.

When they had been discussing the plans for the eclipse and splitting everyone into smaller teams, it had been immediately decided that Toph and Zuko would be one of the teams. Their task not only involved Zuko to a great degree but also required for him to have a master earthbender with him. And since taking Aang would have been extremely risky, they had agreed that Toph was the best choice. It was also a plus that she would be able to sense movement very well and that she had a very keen sense of hearing. Those skills were vital to the success of this mission.

At last, Toph stopped running. The blind earthbender turned to face Zuko and as he finally caught up with her, she pointed above her. He dropped his load carefully and looked at where Toph was pointing. In a very short while, he would have to give the most convincing performance of his life.

They prepared the props and found their positions. Zuko checked and made sure that his dual broadswords were intact. Once again, Zuko consulted his time-measuring device. Only seven minutes before the eclipse. It was time for him to make his move.

"Ready when you are," Toph told him, as she flexed her fingers and got into an earthbending stance.

"I'm ready," Zuko said with calm determination stepping forward to where Toph had instructed him to stand. The blind earthbender nodded seriously at him, raising her hands and manipulating the ground. She could still feel some trepidation in him from his heartbeat but she also knew that he was significantly calmer than he had been a few minutes ago. They had both gone over the plan very carefully. They both knew what to do and how to do it. Now, everything depended on perfect timing.

"Don't worry about it," Toph reassured Zuko with a grin, "I've got you covered."

"Thanks," Zuko replied as Toph made a hole above them. He peeked through to make sure that no one had seen them. Thankfully, the hall was empty and silent. He climbed up and found himself standing in front of a large, ornamented door with two torches burning at its sides.

"See you in eight minutes," Toph whispered as she closed the hole with her earthbending.

Zuko took a deep breath before pushing the doors open and entering the room. Upon seeing who the intruder was, the Fire Lord put down the steaming cup of tea that he had been about to drink.

The small retinue of guards surrounding the ruler raised their weapons at Zuko and made as if to strike at him. However, the Fire Lord made a motion to stop them and with a wave of his hand, dismissed them all. The guards looked tentatively at one another before exiting the chamber. After all, orders were orders, and they weren't about to lose their lives over a little insubordination.

Once all the armed guards had left the room as quickly as they could, only the father and the son remained face to face.

"Well, well, well," Fire Lord Ozai said with a hint of sinister amusement, "what do we have here?"

--

She drummed her fingers lazily on the side of the throne while she rested her head on her arm. The sound from her movement echoed across the wide, empty hall. Of course, it wasn't really empty considering there were two Dai Li agents just waiting in the wing for any attackers. Nevertheless, there was an eerie silence that pervaded the entire hollow chamber which was meant for a large group of people.

At any rate, none of the parts of this dull ambience really mattered at the moment. Princess Azula was very patient person and considering that her plan was now in motion, she felt confident and certain that things were soon going to go her way – completely. For now, she would have to act like she was playing the role her father had assigned to her. She would stand in for him once that Avatar and his friends arrived. And once they did, she would stall them for the entire duration of the eclipse and then she would see if the so much as dared to face the Fire Lord. At least, that was what her father expected her to do. In her opinion, it wasn't going to be that difficult. Based on her experience with and investigations of the Avatar and his friends, she had a feeling that she wouldn't really need to exert a lot of physical effort. Those gullible fools would be easily taken in by a few well-chosen words.

And maybe she would do so, if the time and circumstances permitted it. However, once one of her other spies entered the door at the far end of the hall and gave her the news she was longing for, she would have to ditch all prior plans and do some conquering and attacking of her own. The eclipse wasn't much of a problem, really. Eight minutes without her firebending would not render her completely incapacitated. After all, she could fight in more ways than one, even without the dependable protection of the Dai Li agents.

She focused her fierce golden eyes on the ornamented door at the end of the hall. Whoever came through that in the next few minutes, she thought, will be the determinant of the next course of action. The most important thing was that no matter whoever fell on this day, the Avatar or the Fire Lord, she would still emerge as the ultimate victor.

Azula smirked diabolically as she pondered the aftermath of the eclipse. With a simple but precise movement of her fingers, she conjured up a small, blue flame in her right hand. She watched as the fire danced according to her wishes, how it was completely under her control, just like everything else should be.

But after a few moments, the blue flame flickered in her hand, and then it weakened, the heat diminished, turning it into a bright orange, and then yellow hue. And then, in the blink of an eye, the fire vanished and she could no longer bring it back from her hand. But Azula was not very concerned. The vanishing of the tiny blue flame was only a time indicator, anyway.

The eclipse had begun.

--

"How dare you show your face in here, Prince Zuko?" Fire Lord Ozai spitefully told his son, "after your repeated failures to capture the Avatar and your fleeing from justice, what made you think that you were welcome to return here? You are a banished prince and a disgrace to the Fire Nation."

Zuko said nothing and stood his ground, trying to keep as calm as possible. The Fire Lord stood up with a contemptuous look on his face and approached Zuko menacingly. With a swift and smooth movement, the younger firebender unsheathed his dual broadswords and pointed them at his father. Ozai looked slightly taken aback by this and he frowned but he stopped walking and instead settled back into his throne, waiting for Zuko to speak. The Fire Lord laughed sarcastically at Zuko, his golden eyes still on the edges of his son's blades.

"I see you've grown a little backbone from those past three years of exile," the Fire Lord taunted, "but will that be enough to face me?"

"In the current circumstances, _Father,_" Zuko replied with acidic emphasis on the last word, "you don't have a choice. I didn't come here to bargain with you or to beg for forgiveness. I am here simply to speak my mind, and you will listen."

Ozai frowned once more at this but since he could no longer feel the force of fire coursing through his fingertips, he decided to wait until the eclipse was over. In the meantime, despite his outrage at being addressed thus by the son he had always thought of as weak and useless, Fire Lord Ozai was curious about what Zuko would have to say to him, after three long years.

Zuko narrowed his eyes at his father, alert to any sudden movement that the Fire Lord might make, any indication that the man would be summoning back his guards. But Zuko also knew that such an alternative was unlikely to be used by Ozai. The Fire Lord was no coward and considering how lowly he thought of his son, Ozai would probably relish defeating Zuko on his own. After all, the eclipse wasn't going to last very long.

Father and son looked each other in the eyes intently, locked gazes which were both fierce and dangerous. And each was sizing each other up and waiting for the opportune moment.

"For three long years," Zuko began, aware that the clock was ticking fast, "all I ever wanted was to regain my honor so that you would love and accept me again. But I've realized that such a dream was nothing but a grand illusion. Even had I brought the Avatar in chains to this chamber, you would never really love me. I've been lying to myself for years, trying to convince myself that you were capable of being a real father to me. But of course, now I've accepted that such a thing is impossible. You love no one but yourself."

"How pathetic," Ozai said with disdain, "you've become even softer and more sentimental. Honestly, Zuko, you disappoint me. Were all those years in exile just thrown to waste?"

"You banished and burned me, your own son," Zuko cried angrily, "for simply speaking out of turn."

"It was to teach you respect," Ozai retorted, "which apparently you still haven't learned. Perhaps the scar I gave you was too small. It doesn't seem to have had the desired effect."

"It was cruel and monstrous," Zuko countered, "and I've learned a lot more than you can ever imagine. I've learned about the injustice and destruction you have caused even in our own country. This whole war has never been to share the Fire Nation's glory with the rest of the world. All it has ever been about is power. And I know now that you will do whatever it takes, sacrifice whoever stands in your way, to get this."

"Ha," Ozai replied contemptuously, "it took you long enough to realize that. Maybe you have learned something after all."

"Well, what you think doesn't matter to me anymore," Zuko replied passionately, "because you've never ever treated me like a son anyway. The only one who has been a real father to me was Uncle Iroh."

At this Ozai gave a loud laugh of scorn, enraging Zuko. However, the young prince steeled himself to stay calm and to keep a level head.

"And I suppose," Ozai taunted, "that you are now busily engaged in learning the ways of tea and foolishness."

"I know this," Zuko said determinedly, bracing himself for the violent reaction, "there is only one fool in this room. And it isn't me."

Saying things like that had been one of the risks Zuko had been nervous about taking but he knew that it was imperative for the Fire Lord to be as angry and as distracted at him as possible. And true enough, Zuko's scathing remark had the proper effect. The Fire Lord had stopped laughing at him and was now livid with rage. Ozai quickly rose from his throne and, had the eclipse not been taking place, he would have burned his own son to a crisp. But Zuko was sharp and ready. He quickly got into a defensive stance and raised his swords menacingly, daring his father to attack him. Ozai was still shaking with fury but he knew better than to attempt an attack.

"You insolent little traitor," Ozai spat, hurling insult upon insult successively and progressively louder and viler, at his son, who stood placidly taking everything in. But after a while, Zuko interrupted his father.

"Let me just tell you now," Zuko explained, "that I have the Avatar in custody and I intend to use him to defeat you and claim the throne that is rightfully mine."

And once again, Ozai burst into loud and sinister laughter. Zuko gripped his swords tighter and frowned. Carefully, he threw a sideward glance at the time-measuring device and saw that the eclipse wasn't going to last much longer.

"So you think that you are the _rightful _heir to the throne," the Fire Lord remarked with dark amusement in his eyes, "well then, you are severely mistaken."

"What are you talking about?" Zuko could not help asking, holding his swords tighter.

"I never intended for you to ascend to the throne, Zuko," the Fire Lord revealed with malice, "from the moment you were lucky to be born, I saw that you were weak and that you would never grow up to be the heir I wanted to inherit this power. So I had long since decided that Azula would inherit the throne. All this nonsense about you being the crown prince was just a front, to make it appear that I still conformed to Fire Nation royal tradition. But unfortunately for you, you were banished and now you have lost all your claims not just to the throne but even to your lineage. You are a disgrace and a traitor. You are no longer a member of the Fire Nation."

Although Zuko had expected some parts of this bitter speech, he was still surprised to learn that Azula was the official heir to the throne. He had always known that his father favored Azula over him but he had never realized that the competition had gone to this extent. He had long since accepted that his father never loved him but to have planned to banish him and strip him of his honor long before he had spoken out of turn. This was something Zuko truly had not expected and he didn't notice how Ozai had seen his surprise. The Fire Lord was smirking with victory and waiting patiently for when the eclipse was going to be over. He knew that it wouldn't be too long.

But then, Zuko was suddenly aware of himself and of the time running out. The task was not yet completed and he needed to come up with something fast if he wanted to get through this entire fiasco alive. So he gripped his two swords and continued talking.

"The Avatar is still on my side," Zuko said, trying to sound as confident and as convincing as possible, as well as provocative, "and I know just how powerful he is. And I also know that before Sozin's comet arrives, he will fulfill his destiny and defeat you once and for all."

"Well, if you're so smart," Ozai dared, "why not kill me now? You will never get an opportunity like this again, you know. I'm powerless while you have your swords, you have the upper hand in this situation. Why not claim just your own glory now?"

"Because I know my own destiny," Zuko replied, "taking you down is the Avatar's destiny. And I'm going to leave it to him."

With this, Zuko re-sheathed his swords and turned around, hoping that his father would buy the act. And luckily for the prince, the Fire Lord was not about to let him get away.

Ozai quickly stood up and shouted at Zuko.

"Coward!" the Fire Lord fumed loudly, "You think you're brave enough to face me but you'll only do it during an eclipse. If you have any real courage, you'll stick around until the Sun comes out. Don't you want to know what happened to your Mother?"

And then, Zuko stopped in his tracks. Behind him, Fire Lord Ozai smiled with sinister satisfaction. Zuko turned slowly around and walked back towards his father, bringing out his swords once more.

"Where is she?" Zuko asked in a tense and persistent voice. The Fire Lord then explained the situation in a cold and indifferent tone.

Of course, Zuko already knew what happened to his mother. In fact, he had already been reunited with her and he probably knew more about the story than his father did. But that was exactly what he was trying to determine. Hopefully, Ozai still had not found out about his mother's actions as well as his aunt Melisande's being on the loose and currently wreaking havoc in the Fire Nation.

Fortunately, it seemed that Ozai was still unaware of the recent developments in the exiles' lives and Zuko was greatly relieved to hear that. The young firebender tried to act as surprised and affected as possible so as not arouse his father's suspicion. He had not anticipated this part of the confrontation but it proved to be of infinite use. At least, he knew that a large part of their rebellious operations were still unknown to their enemy.

And much to Zuko's satisfaction, talking about the traitors of the past seemed to provoke Ozai to do that which Zuko had been trying to provoke to do ever since he entered the room. Glancing once more as furtively as he could at the time-measuring device, Zuko saw that there were only two minutes left until the eclipse was over. He looked down at the floor, pretending to bow in shame and sadness. But he was really checking for the subtle but significant crack that Toph would create to mark the spot where he would stand. After a few seconds of searching, he was able to spy a slight, crack in the floor which was ingeniously shaped over the Fire Nation emblem painted on the ground. As carefully as he could Zuko backed away from his father and positioned himself exactly over the crack. He continued to raise his two swords and point them towards his father while he made as if he was trying to escape.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised at your treachery," Ozai concluded, much to Zuko's apprehension, "after all, it seems like treason runs in your mother's side of the family. First, there was that sister of hers who is probably rotting back at the Isle of Azufre. And then, much to my disappointment, even your mother followed suit and turned traitor herself. And now, we have you."

Zuko frowned at his father but pretended that he was about to walk away. He said nothing but simply re-sheathed his dual broadswords and turned around.

"Two generations of traitors," the Fire Lord said, more to himself than to Zuko, "perhaps it is high time to end that line of treacherous vermin. Now I realize that banishment is far too merciful a penalty for treason. Have no doubt about it, Zuko, your penalty shall be far steeper."

This was the cue Zuko had been waiting for. He could feel the firebending force pulsate through his veins again and no doubt Ozai felt it too. And now, Zuko could hear the crackling noise of electrifying lightning which was coursing out through Ozai's fingertips. Zuko conditioned himself to respond as quickly as possible. A moment late would be too late.

Fire Lord Ozai had stepped forward and swung his arms out, creating two bright arcs of electricity from the tips of his fingers. And in one powerful movement, he thrust his fingers forward and fired an extremely electrifying bolt of lightning towards his son.

Lightning, Zuko had thought, he should have known. He had redirected lightning once before. It had been on the island during the beginning of the great storm. He had saved Katara's life then. But who would save his now?

Instead of catching the lightning to redirect it, Zuko caught whatever he could and bent the fire to a degree that he caused a mighty explosion that shook the entire hall severely. So great was the impact of the two warring forces of fire that even the floor had cracked up and some of the pillars near where Zuko stood had crashed to the ground.

Fire Lord Ozai had covered his face with his sleeve, shielding himself somehow from the impact. After a while, when the smoke cleared, the Fire Lord walked calmly and decisively towards the rubble where Zuko had been standing. Large rocks and bits of earth had fallen on top of that spot and Ozai craned his neck to see what was left of his only son.

Then, the Fire Lord smiled with satisfaction. For as he looked over the rubble, he had been able to see the charred remains of Zuko's body, severely crushed underneath the weight of the fallen rocks.

Hearing the explosion, the retinue of guards who had been standing outside the room now suddenly re-entered, and they all frantically tried to make sure that the Fire Lord was safe. The others looked perplexedly at the pile of smoke and rocks and tried to tidy it up.

Ozai, however, walked away from the wreckage indifferently. All traitors got their due.

But as he made his way back to his throne, he noticed that the cup of tea he had been about to drink had fallen and cracked due to the force of the explosion. Then, with a sudden realization, Ozai's eyes narrowed. The tea had made an acidic burn on the floor.

--

_So there. I won't tell you exactly what happened. You'll have to wait for the next chapters to find out. But I hoped you enjoyed this one._

_It was particularly difficult to write this chapter. I am not completely satisfied with it but I don't know how to improve it. I tried hard to capture the tension that was between the father and the son as well as the other complicated nuances of the story. I apologize for having to rehash some of their lines from 'The Day of Black Sun Part II: The Eclipse' but I couldn't think of other ways of expressing the same ideas. And I wanted to keep the tone faithful to the series._

_I hope that this wasn't too disappointing for you and that at least, you weren't confused by anything. It was a big challenge to write but if you liked it, than my lack of sleep was well worth it._

_Thank you again for your continuous support._


	8. Part One, Chapter 7

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender, among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

There was a sharp knock at the large, ornamented doors. The sound echoed across the vast hall.

The princess slowly raised her head from where it had been resting on her hand and narrowed her eyes. She played with a small blue flame and it danced around her fingers. The eclipse was truly over and her plan should have succeeded by now. She was expecting the announcement and confirmation that she had indeed succeeded and that things were about to work themselves out her way. But something, an annoying little voice in her head, told her that things were not quite right.

The Avatar had not arrived and there had been no news of an attack or invasion or anything of the sort happening outside. Azula refused to ponder on what this might mean but resolved to find out exactly what happened as soon as possible. But first, she had to know about her plan.

"Enter," she commanded the person who knocked. The doors were quickly opened to reveal one of her spies from among the servants of the Fire Nation Royal Household. The old man approached the throne nervously and frantically. Seeing the agitation and fear in the man's eyes, Azula narrowed her eyes even further. Things did not look good indeed.

"What news?" she asked the man curtly as he made a nervous and a bit clumsy bow before her.

The man did not answer her right away and instead raised his head at the slowest rate possible, as if terrified to speak. He was shaking from fear and hardly a sound came out from his shaking mouth. Azula frowned, getting impatient at the fool and eager to know what he had to say.

"Speak quickly," the princess ordered sharply and menacingly, "if you value your life."

The man gulped nervously and forced himself to speak. In a stammering, halting and almost squeaky voice, the spy said, "Your father lives, princess."

"WHAT?" Azula screamed with wild, wide eyes, a large blue flame appearing around her, "That's impossible. What happened to the poison?"

"He didn't take it, princess," the spy explained nervously, eying the menacing blue flames with caution, "he was interrupted and the tea spilled on the floor. The poison burned through the ground and he saw it. He knows of the plot now, your highness. We have been discovered."

Azula's eye twitched and her fists clenched hard when she heard the news. It was worse than she had even imagined. How the plan could have backfired was still a mystery. She had planned everything so carefully, down to the last detail. It had been perfect. What had gone wrong?

She took a deep breath and regained her composure. Now was not the time to troubleshoot the plan or to wonder at its failure. She did not even want to dwell on such an idea. Taking another glance at the shivering courtier, she already knew that her father would send for her very soon. There was no time to waste. She cursed under her breath at the inconvenience.

"Not a moment to lose," she ordered sharply, quickly summoning the two Dai Li agents who were waiting for her command, "we have to leave the Fire Nation immediately. Inform Mai and Ty Lee of this development and make sure we don't run into any trouble on our way out."

Jumping down from their perch, the two earthbenders nodded reverently and left to make the necessary preparations. Although she had been almost certain of success, Azula still had not neglected a backup plan, but she had thought that she wouldn't need it. Fortunately, she had made the necessary arrangements.

"You!" she pointed at the shivering old spy, "you will tell me everything that transpired that hindered my plan. And if you leave out so much as the tiniest detail of what happened, lightning and blue flames will be the last thing you will ever see. Is this understood?"

The spy gasped with terror and made stammering promises to tell the princess everything. Azula nodded with satisfaction. After a few moments, an opening was earthbended from one of the walls of the throne room. Some of her Dai Li agents were there to escort her out. She motioned towards the quivering Fire Nation spy and immediately, a Dai Li agent grabbed the man by the collar and led him into the tunnel before re-sealing it. To facilitate an easy and speedy escape, Azula had commissioned the Dai Li to create a secret series of tunnels leading directly towards the harbor where a small but speedy ship would be waiting to take her away from the Fire Nation.

One Dai Li agent led the way with a torch while Azula ignited a small blue flame in her hand as they ran quickly across the tunnels. Fire Lord Ozai would surely make some sort of preliminary investigation first before he would realize who the mastermind of the plot was. Azula was counting on this delay, no matter how short it would be, to buy her some time to be far away from the Fire Nation as possible. She knew, more than anyone, that her father was not a merciful person. And even if he favored her over Zuko, she knew that his approval and esteem was highly fickle. A single slip-up on her part would have ended her. This was exactly why she had to pre-empt him.

Despite his partiality towards her, Azula knew very well that Ozai did not trust her completely with all his plans for the future. As he continued preparing for the eventual confrontation with the Avatar and the arrival of Sozin's comet, she noticed that she had been invited to his war meetings less and less. Her father had been withholding information from her and she was not pleased with this. He had begun treating her with less confidence, as if she was either a potential threat or a useless burden. Either way, Azula resented being treated thus and resolved to do things her way. She was well aware that when the comet arrived, her father would be given powers beyond that of any firebender, the power of a thousand suns. And when that time came, he might discard her as deadweight when he succeeded in ruling the whole world. But she would never let that happen. After all, as a firebender, she would experience the same amplification of her bending. She now believed that her father had ruled over the Fire Nation long enough. It was her turn.

But with what had just happened, it seemed that it would take a little longer for her to achieve her ambition. And if what she guessed was right, and there had been no invasion at all, she knew that her father would immediately blame her for passing incorrect information. And she definitely did not want to be at the receiving end of Ozai's wrath. She was angry and perplexed herself about what had happened but realized that this was no time to punish her spies. But it seemed that there was a traitor in their midst and once she was out of harm's way, she would seek out this audacious individual (or group of individuals) and let them have a taste of her fury.

Once they had covered a considerable distance, they paused to take a break and it was then that she questioned the spy once more.

"Tell me briefly," she ordered him, "what was it that prevented my father from drinking the tea?"

"It was your brother, princess," the old man answered, a bit out of breath.

"What?" Azula said with wide eyes. The spy nodded in confirmation.

"He arrived unexpectedly," the old man explained, "and confronted the Fire Lord. They had a very intense argument."

_Damn you, Zuzu, _Azula thought silently, _who would have thought that after all this time; you would still be standing in my way?_

"Where is Zuko now?" Azula asked suddenly. But to her satisfaction, the courtier shook his head sadly.

"The Fire Lord finished him, princess," the spy answered, "your brother is dead."

And to the Dai Li agents' and spy's shock and horror, Princess Azula smiled with demented contentment.

"Good riddance," Azula muttered before they continued their flight.

--

The dark-haired girl watched with boredom as the sunlight re-illuminated the city as the eclipse concluded. Mai sighed with tedium, resting her head on her hand as everything returned to normal. In the same room, the acrobat was standing on her hands, trying to pass the time.

"Looks like the eclipse is finally over, Mai," Ty Lee remarked cheerfully although she did not feel half as bright as her voice betrayed.

"We'll have to wait for our orders now, I guess," Mai replied uninterestedly but wary, "I'm not sure how things are going to work out."

"I know what you mean," Ty Lee replied, flipping over and sitting beside her friend, "Azula's playing a very dangerous game. It's even riskier than tightrope walking. And believe me, I know about that."

"I don't doubt it," Mai replied absent-mindedly. Despite her outward apathy, she was deeply concerned about what would happen.

The solar eclipse had come and gone but no invasion had occurred. All the Fire Lord's most capable soldiers had been assembled at the capital, eager and ready to defend their leader from any hostile threats. But none had come. There was not as much as an uprising or skirmish. During the eight minutes of complete darkness, it had been quiet. Too quiet.

It was hard to believe that Azula's spies had been giving her the wrong information about the Avatar's plans. More than just the Dai Li agents, Mai knew that the princess had other sources disguised as common folk in the Earth Kingdom who carefully monitored the Avatar's movements.

But considering the airbender's recent disappearance and the relative calm on the sides of both the rebels and the Avatar's allies, there had been no indication of any potential invasion. However, the Fire Lord and his daughter knew that the best time for any of their enemies to attack them would be on the day of the eclipse and they had to make sure that they were ready for any invasion whatsoever.

And yet, there were so many mysteries that even Azula had not completely figured out. Mai couldn't help but think of Zuko's strange disappearance. She had always had a slight fondness for the banished prince and she had hoped to renew their acquaintance in Ba Sing Se. Unfortunately for her, this had not happened.

Ever since he mysteriously escaped from the Crystal Catacombs of Ba Sing Se, there had been no news of Zuko, even from the best of Azula's spies. Although the princess thought very lowly of her older brother, she still knew that he was a potential threat and so tried to monitor his movements as best as she could. Unfortunately, Prince Zuko seemed to have disappeared without a trace. Azula's spies knew nothing of what happened to him or even if he was dead or alive.

Somehow, and with as little bias as she could manage, Mai felt that Zuko had been involved in the day's peculiar turn of events. The whole picture was a puzzling one, though, and the pale, dark-haired girl didn't care to dwell on it. She would leave the plotting and scheming to Azula.

Ty Lee watched as people slowly began coming out of their houses. They rejoiced at seeing the city intact and unharmed. The soldiers, on the other hand, looked perplexed and wary, wondering about the lack of an attack during the eclipse. Was this a trick? Were they going to be ambushed in a surprise attack of some sort? No one had the slightest idea of what to do next. There were still festivities to be prepared for but with the perplexing state of things, no one was sure about what to do.

As much as Ty Lee wanted to join in the preparations for the festivities, she knew that she and Mai still had duties to Azula. The princess controlled their every move and they could not refuse her anything. Ty Lee sighed as she pondered on the expected outcome of Azula's diabolical scheme. The female acrobat wasn't as obsessed with power and control as the princess was. Ty Lee preferred a simpler, happier life, not one wrought with such intrigue and danger. And looking at her companion, she knew that this was not the life Mai would have chosen either. But as it was, both of them had no choice but to obey.

Mai and Ty Lee continued waiting for their orders in silence, each pondering on the day's events. After a few moments, they heard a knock at the door. Ty Lee opened it to see one of Azula's Fire Nation spies, looking very nervous and frantic.

"You must make haste," he muttered quickly, "the plan has failed. And the Fire Lord will soon figure out who was in charge of the entire scheme."

Mai and Ty Lee looked at each other before looking back at the messenger.

"What happened?" Ty Lee asked the man.

"Something completely unexpected," the messenger replied, "Prince Zuko appeared before the Fire Lord."

"WHAT?" both girls yelled at the startled courtier. They were so taken aback by the strange news that they at first did not know what else to say. They simply stood there, transfixed, and shocked.

"How did he get there?" Mai questioned eagerly, after recovering from the surprise, "What was he doing there? What happened to him? Was he apprehended?"

But the man shook his head slowly and sadly. Ty Lee gasped in horror while Mai's eyes widened at the messenger's reaction and refused to believe what he was saying. She pressed the man for a confirmation.

"The Fire Lord did not allow Prince Zuko to escape alive," the man explained carefully, "there had been a great explosion and a portion of the ceiling and some pillars had crashed on top of where the prince had been standing. The Fire Lord's guards haven't completely recovered the body but parts of him have already been seen from beneath the rubble."

Reeling from the shock, Mai sunk down into a chair, utterly still and with wide eyes. Ty Lee walked towards her friend with concern. The acrobat knew that Mai had been eager to see Zuko again and the news of his death was surely a severe blow to her. The brown-haired girl put a hand on her friend's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. They both said nothing for the next few minutes.

Their silence was broken by the frantic messenger, who was tapping his foot and wringing his hands in impatience and worry. Sweat was already pouring down his wrinkled face and he was very anxious to escape the madness.

"Excuse me, ladies," he reminded them with trepidation, "but we really must get a move on. The Fire Lord will send his soldiers to arrest and punish everyone involved in this plot very soon. And the princess has already sent orders for you to join her on her ship as soon as possible. In fact, she is probably on her way there now. Do not worry, I'll explain the rest on the way."

After a moment's serious consideration, both girls stood up and faced the messenger resolutely. He nodded at them and they quickly followed the man through the secret escape passages the Dai Li had created for Azula. A Dai Li agent waited for them to pass before re-sealing the exit, making as if there had been no secret passageway in that room at all.

As they made their escape following the spy holding up a small torch, Ty Lee kept throwing worried glances at her friend, trying to make out how Mai was taking the news. But the other girl's face had regained its customary blankness and coldness and Mai was as calm as ever. If she felt anything about Zuko's death, Mai was concealing it very well.

Ty Lee was not as affected by the news as she believed Mai was but nevertheless, it was disturbing. And as much as she wanted to have a bright and happy perspective on everything, this time, Ty Lee found it extremely difficult to be cheerful and optimistic. So much had happened which Azula had not anticipated and seeing the usually precise princess thwarted by fate was something to be feared. Could it be that destiny was finally turning against them? Ty Lee shrugged away the dark aura that was threatening to engulf her. She would not be overcome with fear. This was hardly the time for that to happen. Instead, now, more than ever, did she need to be optimistic.

When they reached the secluded part of the harbor, Azula was already waiting for them – impatiently. She was tapping her foot and folding her arms as she glared at her two comrades. But the look on her face showed that she had much more on her mind than their slight tardiness. In fact, there was an alien, wistful look about the princess which really disturbed Mai and Ty Lee (more than usual). Azula had another sinister plan in her mind and they were both afraid to know about it.

"What took you so long?" Azula snapped at her friends but before either Mai or Ty Lee was able to reply, the princess cut them off, "it doesn't matter. We've wasted enough time as it is. There's still something I'd like to do before we proceed to our destination."

--

The ship docked into a small, dark and strange port on an island off the coast of the Earth Kingdom, several thousand miles away from the Fire Nation capital. As they ship dropped anchor, Mai and Ty Lee looked at each other perplexedly, being unfamiliar with the place. But Azula seemed sure of herself (as usual) and neither of them dared to question her purpose for this detour.

Azula wore a long, dark cloak that concealed her identity and with a mysterious movement, the princess raised the hood of the cloak over her head before walking quickly towards a tall, dark tower. She stopped walking for a moment and motioned rather impatiently for the other two to follow her. Looking at each other slightly nervously, Mai and Ty Lee shrugged and donned similar cloaks and hoods before following Azula into the dark tower.

The tower was the only man-made structure on the small, grey, barren island. The whole place seemed shrouded in a cold, menacing darkness and there was an extremely unpleasant aura engulfing the land. No other person was in sight. The rest of the island seemed uninhabited except for those who may be living inside the tower.

"Where exactly are we?" Ty Lee whispered to Mai. The former circus performer shivered as she felt the eerie aura of the uncanny island.

"I have absolutely no idea," the pale girl replied coolly despite the strange anxiety that was filling her as she walked through the barren island. Something was severely wrong in this place.

"But whatever this place is," Mai continued in a grave voice, "I don't like it."

"Me neither," Ty Lee whispered back. After that, they dared not speak, afraid to be overheard by Azula who seemed to have an evil aura around her, and one darker than the usual.

As they entered the strange, stone structure, Mai and Ty Lee realized exactly what that place was and they cringed at the sight and smell of it.

The tower was a prison.

The whole structure was the dark, dank, and squalid quarters of several dozen people who were all moaning miserably at their fates and making strange gestures towards the newly arrived visitors. Azula frowned at these prisoners with distaste and ignored their pleas and cries for help. The proud princess simply walked straight ahead. She seemed to know her way around the prison and there was particular cell she had in mind.

Ty Lee instinctively clung to Mai's arm as they made their way along the aisle where the hands of prisoners groped, held onto the prison bars, and dead, soulless eyes stared at them. The two girls realized that this was no ordinary prison and these were no ordinary prisoners. With a horrified glance at the captives, Mai and Ty Lee knew that this was an insane asylum.

Ty Lee tightened her grip on Mai's arm and Mai held onto the other girl as well. They were not really afraid of being harmed by any of these mad people. The cells seemed secure enough to keep them in and Mai and Ty Lee were more than capable of defending themselves. Nevertheless, they were both very, very scared.

Somehow, all the prisoners here seemed a lot more disturbing than dangerous, hardened criminals. Mai could not explain it, but there was something in those raving madmen and women, something lost in those soulless, frantic eyes, which chilled her to the bone. Each and every one of those prisoners seemed lost, beyond anyone's reach, a prisoner of their own wild fantasies. There was no knowing what went on in those delirious minds and every one of those inexplicable faces held pain and misery beyond anyone else's understanding. The mere sight of these madmen was more than she could bear (and she was usually tolerant of anything).

For Ty Lee, the experience was doubly horrifying, if not more so. In her career as a circus performer, she had seen her fair share of freaks but this was a completely different atmosphere. These people did not have any physical deformities or odd abilities. The true distortion lay in their souls. And seeing those lost expressions, those groping hands, and hearing all that incoherent babble was simply too much for the usually cheerful girl. The aura of inexplicable insanity was choking her and she was close to tears from the anxiety and the fear that these prisoners inspired in her. She gripped Mai more tightly than ever and closed her eyes, trying to block out all the madness.

"What are we doing here, Mai?" Ty Lee whispered in a small, scared voice, "Why did we come to this terrible place?"

"I don't know, Ty Lee," Mai replied, "I don't know."

Mai comforted her friend as well as she could and kept her eyes warily on the other prisoners. She followed Azula as closely as she could while the princess walked rather nonchalantly along the prison hall, turning left or right occasionally but paying no attention to those around her. Mai was used to Azula not really caring about their welfare but this time, the pale, dark-haired girl felt a lot more resentment towards the princess for her callousness.

Finally, unable to resent herself any longer, Mai spoke to Azula.

"What do you intend to do here, Azula?" Mai asked the princess. Azula stopped in her tracks and turned to face her two friends, a bored expression on her face. She raised her eyebrows at Ty Lee's terrified reaction to the madhouse and Mai's uncharacteristic glare.

"Oh," Azula commented dryly, "I forgot that you two haven't been here before. It takes a little getting used to. But you don't have to act so sissy about it?"

Mai and Ty Lee looked at Azula in shock as she rolled her eyes at them before turning around and continuing to walk.

"I already told you on the ship," Azula explained, "I need to pay someone a little visit."

Again, Mai and Ty Lee looked perplexedly at each other before quickly following Azula as she turned a corner and down a narrow hall with only one prison cell at the very end. This cell was different though because it had a solid metal door with only a small window at the top for guards to check in on the prisoner. Not that there were a lot of guards to begin with.

But there were guards, Mai and Ty Lee realized. But they had been standing so still and silently and were wearing such dark uniforms that the two girls had hardly noticed them.

Azula carefully opened the small window of the cell and took a look at the person inside. Mai and Ty Lee were both very curious to know who it was but Azula did not look like she was in the mood for any introductions.

Neither of the two girls was able to see Azula's expression as she looked into the cell. Neither of them saw how her face twisted in a mixture of anger and pity, distaste and fury. They could only listen with even more shock at what the fierce princess said as she addressed the prisoner.

"I have some news for you, mother," Azula said in a voice dripping with cold bitterness, "your precious son is dead."

--

_And there you have it, everyone, chapter seven. I hope this doesn't raise too many questions. Who am I kidding? Anyway, those questions will be answered in the next chapters._

_To those who will still read and review this despite the end of Avatar, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT._

_I loved the ending, not all the parts of it, but in general, I went away with a bittersweet feeling of bereavement. Even if Zutara did not happen at the end, there were more than enough wonderful moments in the finale to keep me hoping. And I really loved all the epic battle scenes and Azula's descent into madness, and the Zuko-Iroh reconciliation, and I could go on and on but this is not a review of Sozin's Comet._

_Suffice to say that I don't really know how much this humble piece of fan fiction can possibly compare to the epic finale (especially the battle scenes, as you may have noticed in Sojourn in Solitude, I do not do good battle scenes as much as I love watching them). There are certain elements which are darker in this story and more twisted but there are also certain things which I feel are inferior to that of the canon ending. I love Avatar._

_Nevertheless, do not worry about me never completing this story. I definitely will continue this story because I believe that starting a story is making a commitment and even if no one really reads this anymore due to the end of canon, I will work on it until it is finished because it is a commitment I made and I don't go around breaking commitments. I will restore my own honor. (hahahaha, anyway)._

_I know some of you want an update for "Just Some Water Tribe Ingenuity" and I'm working on that too. But this week is particularly hectic in school and I'm working on a 3-chapter-per-week quota for An Alliance of Traitors if I want to finish it on schedule. But I will update that other story as soon as I am free and it won't be too long a wait, I hope._

_Anyway, once again, thank you to everyone who reads this for all your support and expect an update soon!_


	9. Part One, Chapter 8

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender" is among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

"Are we there yet?"

The blind earthbender asked the question impatiently for the nth time that night. As she and the former Fire Prince travelled in the stolen war balloon, a chilly wind blew into her face. Toph had never really enjoyed flying although this particular method of travel was admittedly a lot less terrifying than riding a sky-bison. For one thing, the speed and direction of the balloon was under Zuko's complete control, and there weren't any huge wads of fur flying all over the place.

Zuko rolled his eyes but not with any ill intention.

"No, we're not," the firebender replied good-naturedly, "are you that excited to meet up with the others again?"

"Not exactly," Toph explained, "but I would really appreciate having some solid earth beneath my feet again. You see that's one disadvantage we earthbenders have that firebenders or airbenders don't have to suffer. You guys constantly have your elements around you or within you. We, on the other hand, are limited to places with earth. Not that it makes us less powerful. It's just a little unsettling. And no offense to Appa, but I hate flying."

"Seems fair enough," Zuko answered with a smile of amusement at the blind girl's discomfort, "but don't worry, it isn't that much further. We'll be there very soon."

"Good," Toph said with satisfaction, clutching at the railing of the small, Fire Nation war balloon.

They continued their journey in companionable silence with Toph occasionally making some wry comment about this or that. A comfortable and relieving calm had settled on the two partners ever since they left the Fire Nation capital and covered much distance. So far they had not been followed by any of the Fire Nation's other soldiers in war balloons and there was probably still so much confusion at the capital with the absence of an invasion that no one really thought about pursuing them. After all, now, everyone believed Zuko to be dead.

The young firebender recalled those tense, uncertain moments in his father's presence. He remembered gravely every harsh expression exchanged and the cold, uncaring face of the Fire Lord mocking and taunting him. It had not been an easy encounter, far from it, but he knew that it was destined to happen, sooner or later. Zuko had known well enough that there would come a time when he would have to face his own father and declare his drastic change of sides. And the son had always known that the father would never take the news very well.

But everything had been well prepared for. Despite all his doubts and fears about this encounter, Zuko had been determined not to face his father without the proper frame of mind. At first it seemed so strange for him to get used to the idea that he would be fighting against the man whose love he had worked so hard to earn. But Zuko was no fool and had long since realized that the Fire Lord was incapable of love and only cared about achieving ultimate power.

And the more the prince had seen of the suffering and pain caused by the ruthless war, compounded with his own personal trials and experiences, he knew that his father had to be stopped. Upon joining the Avatar and his friends, however, Zuko noted that even with the powers of the Avatar State, Aang was hardly ready to face Ozai. The Fire Lord, even with his tremendous bending abilities and authority, was still also a figurehead in the ongoing struggle to gain control of all the Four Nations. The more they investigated the situation, the more Zuko and the others realized that the success of their campaign did not rest solely on the shoulders of the last airbender.

His aunt Melisande, whom he heard was leading a secret but well-organized group of spies and rebels from within the Fire Nation, had once said that saving the world was everyone's responsibility and not just the Avatar's. Each and every one of them would have to contribute to ending this war if they were truly to begin a new era of love and peace.

"Was it as difficult as you anticipated it to be?" Toph asked the firebender suddenly.

Zuko's reverie was interrupted by this abrupt question and after blasting fire to refuel the war balloon, he turned to face the earthbender. She had a very serious look on her face which he found rather uncharacteristic of her. He was silent for a few moments, trying to compose a coherent reply that could encapsulate what had happened in the Fire Lord's hideout.

"As I felt for vibrations that indicated your presence," Toph explained, "I also felt the quickening of your heartbeat. I had sensed that there was far more tension between you and your father and I had been worried for a few minutes there."

"It was difficult to face him," Zuko agreed, "and even though I had rehearsed what I was going to say and do in my mind for so long, things still didn't turn out exactly as I planned it. I still said things that I had not intended to say."

"But in the end," Toph added, "things still went our way. You and Iroh had been right about how the Fire Lord would react and I was just able to bend you out of harm's way in the nick of time."

"And for that, I am eternally grateful," Zuko answered appreciatively, "no one else could have pulled it off."

"I know," Toph replied smugly, much to Zuko's amusement, "but still, it was extremely risky, for both of us. Do you think the dummy looked convincing enough?"

"It looked pretty convincing. After all, according to Uncle, the other members of the order who were more involved in the arts had crafted it and such a dummy was the most life-like any dummy could get. And then, it was buried under too much rubble for them to dig out," Zuko said with the slightest hint of bitterness, "and I guess my father was sure that he already killed me that he wouldn't even bother having my corpse dug out and buried properly."

"I don't know," Toph said, "but from the observations I made of the guy from where I was underground, I'd say he was pretty intense and scary, even worse than your psycho sister. No offense, but you've got one messed-up family."

Zuko blasted another fire ball into the war balloon's main mechanism and thought for a few moments. He turned his gaze towards a misty area north of the balloon and mentally calculated how much longer they would have to travel before they were reunited with the others.

"No offense taken," he replied quietly, his golden eyes focused on the horizon, "because I already knew that."

--

The soldiers trembled in the presence of their master and said not a word as the Fire Lord ordered some of his courtiers to conduct an investigation on the affair of the acidic tea. Clearly, Fire Lord Ozai had narrowly escaped a very clever and almost undetected assassination attempt. The tea had been poisoned and now that he knew the danger he had been saved from by mere circumstance, Ozai intended to get to the bottom of this little incident.

So engrossed was the powerful man that he didn't bother closely examining the remains of his only son. There were more important matters to attend to at the moment.

Ozai's eyes narrowed as he stared intently at the fallen cup of poisoned tea. He was not as great a fan of the hot beverage as his older brother was but the Fire Lord did enjoy a cup or two of tea, especially when he felt that he was about to pull one over his enemies. Apparently, the solar eclipse had brought about a strange and unexpected twist of events.

First of all, according to his officers' reports, there had been no invasion or attack by the Avatar or any of his allies during the entirety of the solar eclipse. No enemy forces had arrived or stormed the palace. No Earth Kingdom or Water Tribe armies had attacked the Fire Nation capital. All throughout the eight minutes of complete darkness, there had been no sign of hostility from any part of the Fire Nation. No ships had arrived. Nothing. Nothing at all.

And this circumstance perplexed and vexed the Fire Lord to no end. Why had no one come? All the most capable soldiers in the Fire Nation had positioned themselves strategically in the Fire Nation to prevent any attacks. But it seemed that all these precautions had been in vain.

Ozai then turned his mind towards the smaller, internal incident of the poisoned tea. Clearly, one of his enemies was only within arm's reach. He or she might even possibly be a member of the Royal Household since preparing the Fire Lord's tea was an exclusive task given to a specific kind of servant. And every ember of that division assigned to take care of his tea was trembling with fear as they stood in front of the Fire Lord, unaware of they had been summoned to the Royal Palace. And now, seeing the displeased look on their leader's face, they became more afraid than ever.

But after a thorough investigation and interrogation of the tea-makers and their helpers, Ozai had still not discovered the mastermind of the intricate assassination plot. It was then that the Fire Lord noted the absence of one very important person. He narrowed his eyes when he realized who was missing and immediately, his suspicions were transferred from the poor servants to someone else. The Fire Lord could not be said to be lax or slow, however. In fact, the moment he sensed that there was an assassination plot, he had immediately suspected this person. However, court decorum and tradition decreed that everything must go through due process and to tell the truth, he was reluctant to quickly transfer the blame to a member of the royal family. Internal discord and political instability was not something he needed at this crucial time.

And though it was a bit of a shock to think so, nevertheless, the people did not put it past Azula to try and kill her father so that she could take over his position. Even Ozai did not put it past her. They were of the same blood, they had the same agenda and they both knew how to get what they wanted. The Fire Lord knew, better than anyone else, that in the room, that in the struggle for ultimate power and control, it was the survival of the fittest. And the best way to survive was to effectively get rid of everyone standing in one's way to victory.

One of the messengers entered the hall quickly but nervously and bowed before the Fire Lord with much reverence and fear. The monarch ordered the servant to speak and the poor man looked nervously at his master.

"Princess Azula is nowhere to be found, sir," the servant reported, trembling and ready to be punished for being a bearer of ill news. The other people present in the room looked equally uncertainly at the Fire Lord, and others carefully backed away, as far beyond his range of fire as they could.

But to everyone's surprise, Fire Lord Ozai was completely calm and it seemed like he had expected this to happen. The people raised their eyebrows at this reaction but dared not say anything.

If anything, her sudden disappearance from the palace was a confirmation of her involvement in this sinister plot, the Fire Lord thought. It was the most inconvenient thing to happen after a non-existent invasion as well as an unexpected confrontation with a banished son. Nevertheless, it was now that he had to prove himself to still have complete control of the situation. It would not do well to have people doubting and distrusting him during these volatile times.

"Well-played, Azula," Ozai thought darkly, "I wouldn't have expected any less of you."

After a few moments of thought, the monarch stood up and everyone around him bowed down. He walked towards the quivering messenger and bade him to deliver yet another message.

"Send out the best and quickest trackers in the Fire Nation as a search party," Ozai commanded, "and bid them NEVER to stop until they have found and captured Azula and all her accomplices."

"Right away, sir," the messenger replied before turning around to do as he was told.

"As of this moment," Ozai announced to all the people remaining in that partially destroyed subterranean throne room, "Princess Azula is no longer a citizen of the Fire Nation."

The people in the room looked at each other curiously but did not object to anything the Fire Lord decreed. But they all knew that it was a very precarious time indeed, when the monarch denied the rights of his heirs.

"And today," Ozai continued, his eyes on the rubble which covered his son's corpse, "I am no longer a father."

--

The two riders got off the eel-hound and climbed down the pillars of the ancient air temple. Upon reaching the main receiving area, those who had arrived there first greeted the new arrivals warmly.

"I take it you succeeded in your tasks," Iroh commented to the three fighters.

"The whole operation went a lot smoother and faster than we expected," Suki replied with a smile.

"Minimal damage and casualties," Katara added, "at least not a lot of people had to get hurt."

Aang and Iroh nodded at them with understanding.

"So," Sokka inquired, "how did your mission go?"

Aang and Iroh looked at each other knowingly before answering the Water Tribe Warrior.

"It was somewhat a success," Aang said finally. Sokka, Suki, and Katara raised their eyebrows at this and looked perplexed. That was just about as vague as answers could get.

"What exactly are you talking about?" Sokka asked the Avatar, rather exasperated.

"It's hard to explain," Aang replied with a sigh, "we were able to discover so many things about my past lives and about this key. But it turns out, while we found answers to some of our questions, we only dug up more questions from what we learned in the Dragon Bone Catacombs."

"Aang and I were able to find the container for the powerful key," Iroh explained, "but unfortunately, the object was no longer there. It had been taken very recently, by the Fire Lord."

Everyone else groaned with disappointment at the news. It wasn't the best thing to hear at the moment.

"Don't worry though," Iroh assured them, bringing out dozens of scrolls and artifacts from his rucksack, "we were able to gather enough vital information in order for us to form some excellent strategies for the comet's arrival. We also took a fair share of maps of the Fire Nation and blueprints of its most important structures."

Sokka walked over to where Iroh had laid down all the maps and charts and began to feel less disappointed. In fact, after a few minutes of browsing through the scrolls, the Water Tribe Warrior's mind was abuzz with bright ideas and strategies. The leader of the Kyoshi warriors stood beside him and soon, Iroh, Sokka, and Suki were in deep discussion over new plans for the arrival of Sozin's comet.

"We have decided," Iroh explained, "that Aang should go back to the Eastern Air Temple to consult the guru about this key and the power it wields."

"Apparently," Aang added, "only the Avatar can use this key to unlock the chains of some sort of ancient giant and unleash its power. It's useless in the hands of anyone else."

"And do you really want to acquire this ancient power?" Katara asked Aang earnestly. The Avatar looked back at her seriously.

"If it will help me save the world," Aang replied, "then I'm ready to take on that responsibility."

The waterbender smiled and laid a hand on the young boy's shoulder. He looked back at her gratefully.

"You'd better get some rest," Katara advised them, "we don't know when any of us are going to this opportunity again."

The others nodded at her. Aang retreated with slightly slumped shoulders and went to find a good place to lie down. Sokka took Suki's hand and they walked to find a corner to rest. Iroh was about to do the same when he noticed that the waterbender had not made any move to follow her own advice.

The old man approached the girl, who was staring intently at the horizon, wringing her hands and struggling to maintain composure. Iroh knew exactly what (or whom) Katara was worried about. There were still two members of their party who had yet to arrive.

Katara turned suddenly when she felt the firebender's hand on her shoulder. Iroh gave her a look of comfort and reassurance and she returned his gaze with a grateful smile. And then, they both looked towards the horizon together, waiting expectantly.

--

The guard quickly unrolled the scroll that came with the messenger hawk. His expert eyes scanned through the message quickly and without a moment's hesitation, he relayed the information to the next in command. The officer frowned as he received the news and immediately called for a council to decide on how to respond.

But the military system of this part of the Earth Kingdom was highly organized and it did not take long for the generals to decide on the appropriate course of action. However, they all knew that they would be treading on very risky ground. But nevertheless, they were so thankful for their vital and reliable contacts in the Fire Nation. This new development was rather unexpected but at least, they had time to formulate a good plan. One of the generals ordered a soldier to send news to the rest of the Allied Forces. They would need all the help they could get, at the opportune moment. This century-long war had gone long enough but it would not be ending too soon. There would surely be one last, epic struggle before the world was at peace once again. Everyone gathered at that night council knew this very well.

But for now, one thing was clear and certain, though. It was no longer safe for them to remain here. But they had made preparations in case of emergencies such as this one so they quickly implemented their backup plans and informed all the parties involved of what to do. For now, the city would have to be left in the hands of a different set of powerful earthbenders. But their resistance to the coming threat would be a rather unconventional one.

And that night, under the cover of darkness, and escorted by the most able body guards and soldiers, the Earth King (and his bear) was evacuated from Ba Sing Se.

--

The Fire Lord's brow furrowed. At the moment, he was very, very displeased.

Things were a lot worse than he expected and though part of him was impressed at what damage Azula was able to inflict right under his nose, he was also extremely vexed. And at the moment, he could not think of a punishment steep enough for her betrayal. Death just seemed too merciful for all her crimes.

He had learned of the series of prison breaks at many of the remote but strategic locations of in the Fire Nation. Rebels and insurgents had been liberated during the eclipse. The guards, a weak, incompetent breed, had been easily overcome and most could not even remember being attacked. Others still gave preposterous claims about being haunted by spirits and ghosts. It seemed that the quality of the Fire Nation army had been slipping to dangerously low levels. This was not a good prospect.

And to add insult to injury, more reports had been coming in that many major weapons stores had been raided during the eclipse. Whoever had planned these actions clearly had a good idea of how to get on the Fire Lord's nerves. According to the reports, enough weapons for several regiments had been stolen by rebels and other forces who had taken advantage of the eclipse. And though he was loathe to admit it, the Fire Lord knew very well that these events had somehow crippled his military advantage. There were so many thing to repair and address on the outskirts of the Fire Nation while nothing of significance (other than a bloody confrontation and a failed assassination attempt) had occurred in the capital.

If she truly wanted to overthrow him, Azula was taking the right steps, Ozai thought. But he would not be long outdone by his daughter. She had caused so many inconveniences and hindrances but these would not damage his overall plan to take over the world. Taking a deep breath, Ozai glanced wistfully at the small, metal object in his hands.

A few adjustments would have to be made, to be sure, but in the end, everything would go exactly as planned.

--

The small ship dropped anchor on the remote shore of the Earth Kingdom. Several earthbenders disembarked and walked towards the vast, earthen wall surrounding the most impenetrable fortress in that part of the world. They looked around them to see if there were any witnesses.

But there were none. The whole world was cloaked in darkness, pierced only by the pale moonlight. Silence filled the surroundings and it was only broken by the sound of the waves lapping against the shore. There were no signs of the presence of other living organisms in the area. The circumstances were very favorable tonight and this pleased the persons gathered there on that remote shore.

Once the area had been adequately secured, the earthbenders walked to one part of the great wall and with expert movements, they were able to open a secret passageway into the city. One of them lit a torch and entered the tunnel to make sure it was structurally sound. And once all the necessary checks had been made and everything tended to, the man motioned to his companions and gave them the go signal. The other earthbenders nodded and one walked back to the small Fire Nation ship to inform the rest of the travelers that it was safe to disembark.

Three cloaked figures came ashore and followed the earthbender's lead to the secret passageway. The other guards made reverent bows as these three persons passed them by and entered the tunnel. The rest of the earthbenders unloaded whatever needed to be taken from the ship. Once this was finished, at the signal of one of their head officers, the earthbenders raised large rocks from the earth on the shore and systematically crushed the small vessel until it sunk into the depths of the sea, leaving no trace of their arrival.

The three cloaked figures watched this before continuing their quiet infiltration of the city. Once everyone had entered the tunnel, one of the earthbenders sealed it off and any outsider would not have detected any change or distortion in the outer wall. Everything was as it ever was.

And within the tunnel, the darkness was suddenly dispelled by a bright, bluish glow. As they made their way through the wall, the three cloaked figures pulled down their hoods, revealing their faces. They were silent as they walked but the one at the very front had a very smug and amused smirk on her face while the other two were both grave and serious. The Dai Li agents escorting them were similarly grave and silent, intent on doing their jobs as effectively as they could to please their new master. After a little while, they reached the end of the tunnel and one of the Dai Li agents quickly earthbended a way out.

Stepping into the great walled Earth Kingdom fortress city of Ba Sing Se, Princess Azula looked around her with an air of complete satisfaction. Her golden eyes sparkled with diabolical intent.

"It's good to be back," Azula said with a smile.

--

The moment the firebender had gotten out of the war balloon, he was immediately locked in a warm and tight embrace of welcome. He had hardly any time to catch his breath. Zuko's eyes widened as he felt Katara's arms being flung around his neck and her head soon resting against his shoulder. After a moment's pause, he relaxed and with a grateful smile, returned the embrace.

"I'm so glad you're back," the waterbender whispered in his ear earnestly, her tone expressing a vast amount of relief, joy, and worry. Zuko hugged her tighter, reassuring her of his safe return.

"Thank you," he whispered back gently. While these two were busy being reunited, Iroh was helping Toph get out of the war balloon.

The moment the blind earthbender felt the solid earth beneath her dusty feet once more, she sighed with satisfaction and relief. To Iroh's surprise, the little girl lay down on the ground and began to "bathe" in the soil, relishing the feel of her element and the restoration of her powers. Having access once more to something one can control did wonders to one's self-esteem and confidence. Iroh smiled at the charming earthbending master, understanding her joy.

The older firebender walked towards his nephew who was in deep conversation with the waterbender. Seeing Iroh walk over, Katara momentarily let Zuko go so that his uncle could embrace him as well. Katara smiled as she saw this sweet reunion between uncle and nephew and she walked over to talk to Toph.

"So, how did it go?" Katara asked the earthbender, who was still lying on the ground contentedly.

"We were able to get the desired results," Toph replied, "but it wasn't easy to do so. At least not for Zuko. And I was able to get a good 'look' at the Fire Lord. Man, was he one mean piece of work."

"I'm glad neither of you were harmed," Katara told Toph gently and sincerely.

"Yeah, me too," the earthbender replied wryly. The two girls smiled warmly at each other.

After a few minutes, the others had emerged from the temple as well and were all busy welcoming back the rest of their group. Aang, Sokka, and Suki had heard the commotion and wanted to hear the good news for themselves. Everyone congratulated Zuko and Toph on their successful mission and many a sigh of relief was heard from among the members of the Avatar's group.

"I know that it was hard for you to face your father that way," Aang told his former enemy, "and I really appreciate what you've done."

"There's no need to thank me," Zuko replied seriously, "this confrontation was long overdue."

"Now that we have set up this elaborate stage," Iroh announced to the group, "it is time for the actors to make their performances." Everyone looked at the old man seriously, understanding that from this moment on, there would be no turning back. The Avatar was about to fulfill his destiny and the war was about to end. And for this to happen, each and every one of them would have to do their part to help Aang.

"Well, this is great," Sokka said excitedly after a moment's consultation of some scrolls, "we're right on schedule."

END OF PART ONE

_I hope you all enjoyed this installment. Thank you for your support and 'til the next chapter, the start of Part Two._


	10. Part Two, Chapter 1

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender" – among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER NINE**

A loud cheer erupted from the crowd as soon as they caught sight of the Avatar's flying bison. With jubilant cries the people of the Northern Water Tribe greeted the young airbender, the Southern Water Tribe Warrior, and the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors. The new arrivals smiled brightly at the spectators and waved back at them as Appa landed with an airy thump on the icy structures of the North Pole. The three passengers dismounted quickly and ran to meet all the people who had gathered there to see them.

Right in front of the excited crowd of Water Tribe members was the leader of the group, Chief Arnook, who welcomed Sokka and Aang back with open arms. The Avatar and the chieftain greeted each other warmly while the Northern Water Tribe leader and the Southern Water Tribe Warrior exchanged the customary pleasantries accented with the warmth of friendship between two men who had a great respect for one another. Seeing each other again, Sokka and Chief Arnook couldn't help but share a moment of silence for the memory of Princess Yue. But their sadness soon passed and they began to talk of happier things. This was followed by Sokka making the necessary introductions between the leader of the tribe and the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors.

Chief Arnook was very pleased and impressed by Suki and welcomed her immediately although a few of the other Northern Water Tribe people were giving the girl strange glances. Suki took everything in stride. After all, Sokka had already briefed her on the highly patriarchal society of the Northern Water Tribe. She wasn't so surprised by their reactions because she was more than used to narrow-minded male chauvinism. With an amused smile, the Kyoshi Warrior remembered that even Sokka had underestimated female capabilities when he first met her. Thankfully, some people were open to change and progress, although it would take some time. But, Suki thought, glancing at Aang who was in conversation with some of the other waterbenders, she figured that this was one part of his mission. The Avatar was put here not only to face the Fire Lord and end the century-long war but also to bring about harmony and unity among the members of all Four Nations. And she felt extremely proud to be a part of this mission.

After the formalities and greetings were over, Chief Arnook quickly invited the three of them to dine at the palace. Sokka and Suki quickly accepted but Aang raised his hand to politely decline. The waterbenders looked at the Avatar with some disappointment but he shook his head with a smile.

"As much as I'd like to catch up on old times, Chief Arnook," Aang replied to the chief's queries, "I only came here to drop Sokka and Suki off. I am on my way to consult Guru Pathik at the Eastern Air Temple on a matter of great importance. But you can be sure that once all this is over, I will return to the North Pole and share a meal with you."

"I understand you perfectly," Chief Arnook answered with a smile, "and I know that you have many important duties to attend to. But keep in mind that you will always be welcome at the North Pole."

"Thank you very much," Aang said, with a bow, "it was just a pity that Master Pakku wasn't here."

"The last I heard from him," Chief Arnook explained with a mischievous smile, "he was enjoying himself reforming our alliance with our sister tribe. I suspect that there is more to that little trip of his than international relations."

Aang and Sokka looked at each other knowingly and smiled back and nodded at the chief. They were all aware of the one person Master Pakku truly wanted to see at the South Pole. And they all hoped that things would go well with the waterbender. There were certain joys that were long overdue.

Aang then made his farewells to the people of the North Pole and then quickly jumped on Appa's back. With a short "yip yip" from the Avatar, the sky bison waved his large tail and lifted off. All those standing at the icy platform waved goodbye at the airbender and watched him leave until the massive bison was but a speck in the eastern sky.

After that, everyone proceeded to the interior of the reinforced Northern Water Tribe fortress city, the crowd talking excitedly about what had just transpired. Sokka, Suki, and Chief Arnook all proceeded to the Chief's residence where they would discuss the involvement and alliance between the Northern and Southern Water Tribes.

"I'm glad to report," Sokka told the Chief, "that all our plans for the solar eclipse were successful. We've effectively set the stage for Aang's eventual showdown with the Fire Lord before Sozin's Comet arrives. As long as we sort out a few kinks here and there before that time comes, I have no doubt that we will finally see the end of this war."

"That is what everyone here is hoping for," Chief Arnook said, "and you can be assured that my people and I will do whatever it takes to help end this war."

"So will mine," Suki added with a determined look, "I'm sure that it is high time for the members of the Water Tribe and the Earth Kingdom to unite against the tyranny of the Fire Nation."

"And your arrival at the North Pole is most timely," Chief Arnook told Sokka, "the last I heard, your father, Chief Hakoda, is only two days away from the city. I'm sure he will be glad to see you here."

Sokka gave the chief a very grateful and excited smile after hearing this piece of news.

"That's wonderful, Sokka," Suki congratulated the young man, "you'll be able to see your father again after so long."

"It has been a while," Sokka agreed, "and this will really help with our discussions and the fortification of the alliance between the Water Tribes. Wow, the universe is being rather kind to me these days."

Suki and Chief Arnook laughed at the young man's excitement and optimism. Sokka looked slightly embarrassed but quickly recovered and smiled back. Chief Arnook put his arm on the young man's shoulder and the three of them proceeded to the interior of the Northern Water Tribe city.

--

The winged serpent soared through the trees. After a short flight, it spied its destination and with a smooth, swift movement, Sicca wound himself around the outstretched arm of his mistress. The small serpent felt the comforting stroke of a familiar hand along its scaly body.

"So," said a young girl's voice, "what news does Sicca bring us today?"

"Let me see," replied an older woman as she unwound a small scroll from the winged serpent's body, "this should be interesting."

"Well, it should be," countered the younger girl, "if I could read that, I wouldn't take my time about it."

"Aren't we a little impatient?" the other lady replied with slight amusement, "just give me a few moments, will you?"

"I guess I'm just really excited to have some more to do," the other girl answered, "I'm not really one for spending days on end planning and strategizing. I'm a person of action, you know."

"One thing I am well aware of, my dear," said the older lady, "and that's what makes you one of the most useful members of our merry little band. However, some people are born to take care of the boring stuff."

"No kidding," was the curt but amused reply.

Golden eyes scanned through the message on the scroll and a satisfied smile graced the features of the regal lady.

"Well, you should be pleased to hear the news, Toph," Melisande told her young companion, "everything has gone according to plan. Sokka and the Kyoshi Warrior arrived safely at the North Pole while the Avatar has proceeded without incident towards the Eastern Air Temple."

"That's good to hear," Toph replied, not hiding her relief at the news about her friends.

Although the blind earthbender loved to put a tough façade, she was deeply concerned about the others and couldn't help but be a little worried when they had split up. But with this news, she felt glad that she would not have to be bothered by such inconvenient emotions anymore. But she also knew that her current companion, Zuko's aunt Melisande, was very similar to her. Although Toph had known the firebending master only for a short time, she already liked the latter exceedingly. They both had the same sense of humor and the same aversion to sentimentality. Toph appreciated Melisande's wry wit and vice versa. The earthbender had also noted that Melisande was an extremely powerful fighter, just like her, who also had interesting talents unique to her.

And what Toph liked most about Melisande was that the first time they met, the earthbender had not sensed any pity or sadness from Melisande towards her. Instead, Toph had sensed that Melisande was fascinated and impressed by the blind earthbender and this pleased Toph very much. And she felt even more pleased when the lady had invited and requested her to help with the recruitment of new members for their secret rebel Fire Nation rebel troops. They both knew that this was a very risky endeavor but Toph was flattered that Melisande trusted her abilities enough to invite her. And naturally, the earthbender had accepted the offer without a second thought nor the slightest hint of hesitation.

And thus she had helped Melisande during the period that Aang and Zuko paid a visit to the Sun Warriors. And now, Toph was among the rebels once more, lying in wait for their enemies, engaging in secret raids for weapons, as well as prison breaks here and there. The blind earthbender was doing all she could to be able to help make Aang's mission as easy as possible. Plus, she really enjoyed hanging out with Melisande and acting as a mysterious rebel.

"What about your nephew and Sugar Queen?" Toph asked the older lady.

"There isn't any direct mention of Zuko or Katara's whereabouts," Melisande replied mysteriously. Toph was nonplussed, since she sensed that Melisande wasn't telling her everything. And since Melisande was not nervous, Toph had a pretty good feeling that Zuko and Katara were quite all right.

"It says here," Melisande continued, unrolling the small scroll further, "that there have been sightings of the strangest sort from various villages along the coast of the Fire Nation. The villagers claim to have seen wandering spirits in the environs of their homes."

"Wandering spirits, huh?'" Toph replied with a grin.

"Indeed," Melisande proceeded, "beings with strange appearances who, apparently, were not as ethereal as the local myths and legends supposed since these wraiths were seen liberating slaves and prisoners, healing the sick, and in many cases, giving new hope to the forlorn people."

"Sounds like these spirits are on some kind of saving mission," Toph commented with amusement, "they seem really humane to me."

"Although the accounts on the spirits' appearances vary from village to village," Melisande read, "depending on the local folklore and the power of word of mouth, there are certain consistencies about the general description of these not so supernatural entities. They always come in a pair, for one. The male figure is always dressed in black, with dual swords, and a distinctive blue mask. The female figure, on the other hand, dons a conical hat with a long, flowing, white veil. And her face is painted with beautiful and intricate designs."

"The Blue Spirit and the Painted Lady," Toph said aloud with a smirk, "are those being described. I can't say I find those very original."

"That seems to be the case," Melisande agreed with a knowing smile, "things are going well for our supernatural couple, don't you think?"

"Well, they seem to be attracting a little more attention than what is necessary," Toph criticized although with a similar grin, "but as long as they stick to their part of the plan, it isn't an issue with me. I didn't know that they both shared a tendency to be a little theatrical."

"I don't know about Katara," Melisande replied, "but in Zuko's defense, let me just say that such things run in my side of the family."

The two women laughed heartily at this last statement while Sicca, well accustomed to such exchanges, merely hissed softly at the two, as if reminding them to get back to work. Melisande stroked the serpent affectionately before reading the rest of the scroll. Hearing the sound of unrolling, Toph raised her eyebrows in curiosity.

"You aren't finished reading the message yet?" Toph asked.

"Mm-mm," Melisande replied, shaking her head.

"Wow, how did everything fit in one small scroll?" the earthbender asked with awe.

"Well, it's all written in code," Melisande explained, "that only a select few of my trusted spies can encode and decode. So everything is pretty concise and we can make the most of even the smallest scrolls."

"This would all be really interesting," Toph commented, "if I could relate. But whatever. What else is written?"

Melisande smiled at the earthbender's nonchalant setting aside of her blindness. The former duchess knew very well that Toph didn't really mind being blind so much and in fact, the girl constantly put her condition in jest. The firebender turned her eyes back to the scroll with a smile.

"Ha," Melisande said with amusement, "it looks like Fire Lord Ozai has become paranoid after all the strange events during the solar eclipse."

"Really," Toph said with glee, "what did he do now? Impose complete control over the Fire Nation."

"Not quite," Melisande answered, "that would be too showing of his nervousness. He wants to retain the image of staying completely in control. He still let the festivities proceed after the eclipse since there was no attack anyway. The circus artists and the other performers still put up their elaborate shows. However, after the celebration, no one was allowed to leave the Fire Nation."

Toph whistled at this.

"I know," Melisande agreed, "he wanted to make sure that no one else escaped this time."

"No one else?" Toph asked, "Did he know about us?"

"Thankfully, no," Melisande explained, "however there was the issue of another failed assassination attempt – by Princess Azula."

"Ah," Toph said with an understanding smile, "the plot thickens, I see. This makes me appreciate my father a lot more. He may have been overprotective and annoying, but he loved me, just not in the way that I wanted him to. But at least, I never wanted to KILL my dad. The Fire Lord is really messed up!"

"You couldn't put it any better," Melisande agreed, "seeing what he has become today, I hate the fact that we are related by marriage."

"But there was a time that you wanted to marry him, wasn't there?" Toph teased Melisande slyly.

"I hate to admit it, but it's true," Melisande sighed, not losing her temper at all, "there was a time, when my brain was addled enough, and my heart so changeable. But so much has changed and today, we are all such a far cry from who we were before."

"I guess you're right," Toph said on a more pensive note.

"Anyway," continued Melisande, "the entire Fire Nation has now become a large prison that no one can escape. He is sowing fear and dread into the hearts of his people, daring them to defy him. The Fire Lord is finally showing exactly how threatened is by all these unseen attacks. All the better. We exist to make him squirm."

"Hopefully, he'll be nervous enough to slip up a lot when he finally meets Aang," Toph added, "the Avatar may have mastered all four elements and the Avatar State but I don't know if he might have the guts to do what has to be done in the end."

"When his destiny is upon him, he will have no choice," Melisande replied. Toph nodded with a serious expression on her face. Melisande continued reading the scroll.

"Here's something interesting," Melisande read, "apparently, Fire Lord Ozai didn't even bother digging up his son's 'corpse' and simply burned all the rubble that surrounded Zuko's 'dead body', not even giving his son a proper funeral."

"That's pretty convenient, isn't it?" Toph said with a grin, "I didn't expect him not to suspect that it was all a ruse."

"Well, you have to realize," Melisande explained, "that Ozai constantly underestimates his only son."

"I guess you're right. But there's one little thing I want to know. Just how exactly did Azula plan to kill her father, anyway?" Toph asked curiously.

"According to my sources," Melisande replied, "she poisoned his tea. I don't know. It seems like a fool-proof plan to me. If it had succeeded, it might have saved us a lot of trouble."

"No kidding," Toph agreed, thinking hard about how much easier it would have been if Fire Lord Ozai had already died. Undoubtedly, it would have been less dramatic, but a lot more practical. The earthbender thought back to the day of the eclipse, and to Zuko and Ozai's confrontation. And then it dawned on her. The earthbender's sightless eyes went wide with realization.

"Oh monkeyfeathers," Toph exclaimed with a snap of her fingers.

"What's the matter?" Melisande asked with concern.

"I just remembered," Toph explained, "Zuko said that his father was just about to drink some tea when he arrived at the palace."

For a few moments, neither bender was able to say a word, each taking in the irony of the circumstances. A small gust of wind blew against the trees surrounding their camp and some birds could be heard twittering nonchalantly. The silence between the two powerful benders was so palpable, a knife could have cut it.

However, the moment soon passed and they had to recover from the shock.

"I guess destiny has really decided that only the Avatar has the power to end the Fire Lord," Melisande said finally, "although it really would have saved so much trouble. What a pity."

"Oh well," Toph conceded.

"Anyway, the last part of this message came from my dear sister," Melisande continued.

"What did she say?" Toph asked eagerly. The earthbender felt a fondness for the twin sisters and she always noted that something interesting always happened when the two women communicated to one another.

"She says that she received an unexpected visitor at her prison cell," Melisande read, "her daughter Azula dropped by to give her the news of Zuko's 'death'."

"I wonder why she wasted precious escape time to tell her 'deranged' mother that," Toph said.

"She probably just wanted to gloat," Melisande explained, "Azula has always been envious of Ursa's preference of Zuko and now I suppose, she wanted to torment her mother for that preference. Not that Ursa was the least bit concerned. But she did have to put up a little act of grief and despair in front of her daughter."

"Well, I hope she was convincing," Toph commented.

"Of course she was," Melisande argued, "remember how theatrics comes from our side of the family?"

"Oh, right," Toph said in reply. Melisande's eyes narrowed as she read the rest of the message from her sister.

"And this unexpected visit has proven to be a blessing in disguise for us," Melisande concluded, "it seems that you're finally going to get the action that you've been itching for."

"Finally!" Toph cried jubilantly, "so, where are we heading?"

Rolling the scroll once more, Melisande gazed pensively towards the horizon. Her golden eyes narrowed as she imagined what she was about to face.

"Ba Sing Se," she replied simply.

--

A hooded figure entered the dark establishment inconspicuously. Not one of the patrons of the tavern looked up from their drinks or conversations. Everyone simply minded his own business. Now was not the time to meddle in other people's affairs. So much was happening in the war and it seemed like things had only gone from bad to worse. The Avatar had pretty much disappeared and there was not much hope for any good change before the comet's arrival.

The large stranger walked to the bartender and ordered a drink. When he heard the order, the man at the bar looked at the customer strangely but merely shrugged afterwards. After all, he had received far stranger orders in his time. He nodded and went to prepare the drink while the customer looked around for a vacant table.

The hooded man spotted a pai sho table in a lonely corner of the room where an elderly gentleman sat by himself. The stranger motioned to the bartender that he would be sitting there before resolutely walking over to the pai sho table. The old player looked up at the new arrival without flinching and politely invited him to play. The stranger accepted and sat at one end of the table.

Fumbling for a few moments in his sleeve, the new player soon brought out a pai sho tile and laid it on the table as inconspicuously as he could. At the sight of the design on the tile, the older player's eyes widened slightly in quiet realization. The man turned to the hooded stranger with a meaningful glance and the latter nodded back at him gravely.

"I see you favor the White Lotus gambit," the elderly player said simply, "not many still cling to the ancient ways."

--

"So," the princess said with a sinister smile, as she twirled a lock of her hair in one of her long-nailed fingers as she sat on the Earth King's throne at the majestic palace complex

, "the Earth King is not as big an idiot as I supposed. Someone gave him a tip-off about my arrival and he took the quickest chance to escape. It is of no consequence. At least this shows that he knows better than to stand his ground against me. Without the Avatar and his little friends, Ba Sing Se doesn't stand a chance."

"But from what I hear," Ty Lee said, as she cartwheeled around the throne room, "there is a group of powerful earthbenders who are forming some sort of resistance, to protect Ba Sing Se from another invasion."

Azula's only response to this piece of news was to laugh derisively, sending chills down Ty Lee's spine. Mai sat on one side of the throne, looking as glum as usual, and saying nothing as the princess cackled menacingly.

"You're hilarious, Ty Lee," the Fire Nation princess told her companion, who looked away with embarrassment, "do you honestly think some rag tag bunch of earhtbending peasants will be able to stop me. I have control of the Dai Li, the best earthbenders around. Besides, even without the Dai Li, I have no doubt the three of us can take on whatever defenses this city has left. The three of us were able to infiltrate it before, even while the Avatar was here. Now that he isn't, how much easier will it be?"

"You're right, of course, Azula," Ty Lee agreed, not wanting any trouble, after all, the princess had a point. It simply wasn't the acrobat's hobby to take over other kingdoms and she found less enjoyment in doing it than Azula did. Mai gave a bored yawn, looking as uninterested in anything as usual. Azula motioned to one of the Dai Li agents whose head was bowed, waiting for permission to speak. The spy faced the princess and waited for her command.

"Who are these new earthbenders, anyway?" Azula asked the man, "who have the audacity to think of going against me?"

"They aren't from Ba Sing Se, my lady," the spy replied, "they are a group of earthbenders from other provinces of the Earth Kingdom who have gathered to set up defenses for the city. According to my sources, they claim to be friends of the Avatar."

"So even in his absence, the bald airbender set up some security measures," Azula observed, "not bad. I didn't think the boy would be this forward thinking."

"Maybe it wasn't the Avatar who came up with this idea," Ty Lee suggested, "maybe it was that cute Water Tribe boy who is always with him."

Although Azula cringed at the description of the Water Tribe boy, she had to admit that Ty Lee was onto something.

"Well, he does seem like the person who makes all the Avatar's plans," Azula agreed.

"Even that imaginary attack during the solar eclipse," Mai added.

"You're right," Azula said, "I've got to give it to him, he's pretty clever for a peasant from a backwater country. But provincial wit is nothing to our superior plans."

The ruthless princess turned her attention back to the prostrate spy, who awaited more instructions.

"So, this motley crew of earthbenders from the provinces," Azula began with a raised eyebrow, "how many are there of them?"

"Not many, my princess," the spy answered, "according to our sources, only about three dozen earthbenders in all. Most of them are strange wrestlers from some underground tournament in the Earth Kingdom."

This time, all three girls couldn't help but laugh at the pathetic number of the resistance. Even Mai managed to chuckle at how daring and stupid these earthbenders were to try and go against them. Thirty-six earthbenders against an army of Dai Li, a chi-blocking acrobat, a blade-specialist, and a deadly, firebending prodigy. The odds certainly weren't good for the resistance.

"And are you sure," Azula said in between loud laughter, "that there are not more reinforcements coming from beyond the city."

"There are none that we know of, princess," the spy replied, "and even if there were attempts from the outside, the Dai Li have thorough control of the outer walls. Ba Sing Se is as impenetrable a fortress as it ever was."

"Good," Azula said curtly, "there is absolutely nothing to be worried about. Defeating these fools should be very amusing indeed. Is Long Feng, by any chance, the leader of this idiotic uprising? I should think he knows better."

"Long Feng isn't their leader, my lady," the Dai Li agent explained, "based on our investigation, the resistance is a young earthbender by the name of Haru."

Ty Lee giggled at the name and Mai only rolled her eyes.

"Haru, huh?," the Fire Nation princess said, not looking in the least bit impressed, "he doesn't even sound threatening."

"Well, if any of them are planning to overthrow you, Azula," the dark haired young noblewoman said dully, "then they'd better do it now. I'm getting bored just sitting here doing nothing."

"Yes, let them deal the first blow," Azula said, leaning comfortably back into the throne with a smug air, putting her fingers together, and her narrowed eyes sparkling with a murderous glint, "so that I'll know just how much I'm going to crush them."

--

_And thus begins Part Two of the story. Hope you guys are still interested. Things are going to move a lot faster now, at least from my view of things. There is so much I want to write but I have very limited time._

_I have only one question for you, dear readers, do you want Haru with or without the infamous mustache? I personally find the facial hair absolutely hilarious but if you don't really fancy him with it, then I can still change that. Thank you._


	11. Part Two, Chapter 2

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender" is among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER ****TEN**

"I have been expecting you for a few days now."

Without looking up from his meditation, Guru Pathik welcomed Aang and Appa back to the Eastern Air Temple. The sky-bison landed in the courtyard of the ancient temple with a smooth and swift motion, and the Avatar quickly dismounted, jumping from the bison's back excitedly. Guru Pathik had his eyes closed and made no move to change his position, sitting Indian style with his two arms resting on his knees, fingers in the customary position for proper meditation. Aang grinned at his teacher and waited for the Guru to finish his peaceful reflection. Appa, however, was not as patient as the Avatar.

Glad to see an old friend, the sky bison gave a loud and powerful roar at the meditating guru, the force of the air was almost strong enough to blow the thin old man away. Instead, he only fell over with a burst of genuine laughter.

"It's very good to see you too, my old friend," Guru Pathik said lightheartedly to the sky bison who roared amiably back in response, a strong gust of air emitting from the immense beast's mouth. The old man looked unaffected by this little outburst and instead only continued laughing together, comfortable and happy in each other's presence. Although very much accustomed to the life of a hermit, one full of quiet solitude and reflection, detached from the outside world, Guru Pathik was glad of the company.

The Avatar helped the old man up, even as they laughed heartily together, and then he gave the Guru a warm hug. Although taken aback by the gesture of affection, Guru Pathik smiled and hugged the young monk back. And then, at the sudden contact, the older man felt a sudden surge of the young boy's energy as well as some disturbances. And instantly, the holy man knew that there were many things clogging up the boy's chakras, more than his former love for his waterbending teacher. Greater burdens weighed Aang down at the moment (most were obvious but others the Guru had yet to discover) and Guru Pathik sensed that they would have to go through another journey together before this issue was resolved.

"It is good to see you again, my friend," the Guru told his protege, "but I suspect that this is not a friendly visit. You have much on your mind and have come to consult me about something of great importance."

Aang nodded back gratefully but gravely. "I've gone on a lot of different journeys since we last met, and I've learned so much from many different teachers," the Avatar recounted, "but now, I've also gained so many more questions than the last time, and each is becoming harder and harder to answer. I really need your guidance once more."

"And I will help you as long as it is within my power to do so," replied the Guru with an encouraging smile, "but first, let's have some onion and banana juice."

--

Sokka and Suki ran together to the Northern Water Tribe port and watched excitedly as the sails of familiar ships were seen on the horizon. Sokka pointed eagerly at the boat at the head of the group and waved his arms wildly at it, although the passengers would not be able to see him yet. Suki smiled warmly at the young man, her heart growing light as she saw his genuine delight. On her part, she was slightly apprehensive to meet the father of the boy she loved, but then again, she was also eager to please and be considered a member of the family.

Chief Arnook,accompanied by several of his esteemed counselors and advisers, walked towards the port and waited with dignity for the arrival of the leaders from their sister tribe. They had spent the past few days making extensive plans and strategies for the arrival of Sozin's comet as well as collating all their information about the Fire Nation, most of which came from Sokka. Once again, Chief Arnook was so thankful that he now had allies who had hands-on experience with the Fire Nation and who provided vital knowledge about a distant but threatening enemy. This time, Sokka had even brought many scrolls, charts, and maps of Fire Nation as well as the surrounding territories. Added to this was Sokka's report that the allied forces not only of the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes, but also of a number of Fire Nation deserters who also wished to end the war, had grown in number and power. And fortunately, these rebels and freedom fighters had established a very organized system of communication and relaying vital information across borders. The chief of the Northern Water Tribe was greatly impressed by all the achievements of the Avatar and his friends, a twelve-year old airbender as well as group of adolescent benders. Together, these youths had accomplished so much more than several generations of great leaders in the Water Tribes. And now, with the arrival of members of their sister tribe, things would certainly work out for the best.

The first of the Water Tribe vessels dropped anchor, and Sokka quickly ran to meet his father, who was eagerly disembarking. The chief of the Southern Water Tribe ran to embrace his only son and they both stood there in a great hug for a few happy moments. Seeing the little family reunion, Chief Arnook felt a pang of envy and could not help but glance at where the moon was positioned in the sky, albeit outshone by the brilliance of the sun. He could not help but miss his beloved daughter during moments like these but deep in his heart, the wise chieftain knew that Yue would not want him to be sad about her condition. She was the Moon Spirit; she had fulfilled her destiny. And he was more than proud of that.

Immediately after being reunited, Sokka introduced Suki to his father. For the first time in her life, the Kyoshi Warrior looked shy and hesitant. She approached the chief nervously, not with her usual confidence. But Hakoda soon showed that she had nothing to be worried about by taking her outstretched hand and pulling her into a fatherly embraced. Suki's eyes widened for a moment before returning the hug. Sokka smiled proudly as his father welcomed the girl he loved into their family.

"It's great to finally meet you," Hakoda told Suki, "I have heard so much about you."

"And I about you," Suki replied with a smile.

"I know," Hakoda said with a mischievous grin, "Sokka talks a lot."

"Dad!" Sokka protested as the other two burst into laughter, finally being at ease with one another. Sokka pouted at his father and the older man put a hand on his son's shoulder affectionately.

Soon, the other passengers were also disembarking. A taller, long-haired Southern Water Tribe man walked towards the happy family, grinning and greeting Sokka affectionately.

"Bato!" Sokka cried when he saw his father's friend. They shook hands vigorously and exchanged pleasantries.

"It's great to see you again, Sokka," Bato told the younger warrior. Sokka then introduced Suki to Bato, as well as everyone else who disembarked from Hakoda's ship.

"So where is your sister?" Bato inquired after Katara, once the necessary introductions and greetings were concluded.

"She's off travelling around the Fire Nation," Sokka replied with a mischievous glint in his blue eyes, "with Prince Zuko."

Bato raised his eyebrow at the last statement.

"Prince Zuko, son of the Fire Lord Prince Zuko?" Bato asked curiously. Sokka nodded matter-of-factly while Suki rolled her eyes. The older warrior looked towards Hakoda for confirmation and was surprised to see that Hakoda did not seem in the least bit concerned about his only daughter travelling with the son of the man who caused the war. Now, Bato was really perplexed.

"Katara is in good hands," Hakoda said simply, "I've met the exiled prince and he has proven to be a steady young man of great integrity and unquestionable honor. It still seems strange to imagine it sometimes, but then, in these past few months, miracles have not ceased to occur."

"I suppose you're right," Bato replied after some thought, "and for as long as you are all right with it, I'm sure I'll soon get used to it as well. I guess I still don't want to admit that I am getting old and the two children we used to take care of are now grown up."

"No one feels that more keenly than I do," Hakoda conceded, putting one arm around Sokka and another around Suki, "but I'm glad to see my family extending."

The three Water Tribe men and the Kyoshi warrior all laughed jovially at this. After a while, Chief Arnook approached Hakoda and the two Water Tribe chieftains exchanged the customary greetings. And while both started out very formally, after talking with each other for a few minutes, they soon acted like two true brothers. After all, upon first impressions, each chief had already acquired a deep respect for the other. And then, there was the immediate affinity that came from the realization that they were both devoted fathers who loved their children deeply and found it difficult to let go.

More Water Tribe men began disembarking as more of Hakoda's ships docked at the North Pole port. Sokka exchanged greetings with many of his tribesmen and they expressed their gladness to see him as well. The waterbenders and other members of the Northern Water Tribe came to help their Southern Tribesmen unload their belongings. Soon, the members of both water tribes were engaged in friendly conversations with one another, already building friendships, and strengthening ties between their two tribes. Without any formalities, the alliance had already begun and unity was blossoming between the people formerly divided by great distance. Sokka and Suki smiled as they watched these events unfold, and both were proud to somehow be involved in this alliance. So much depended on the harmony not only among the four elements but also those within the same element. And it was very encouraging to see such harmony take place.

Soon, the two chieftains walked hand in hand towards the interior of the North Pole city, with the people watching excitedly as the two leaders discussed their plans for the war. Sokka, Suki, and Bato were about to follow suit, when the younger Water Tribe warrior caught sight of familiar faces which seemed rather out of place in the icy North Pole. Realizing who they were, the Water Tribe Warrior dragged Suki and went to greet the mechanist, his son, and several members of their group from the Northern Air Temple.

Seeing Sokka again, the bearded inventor gave a friendly wave, while Teo wheeled himself towards them and greeted them.

"So you guys have come here to help with the plans as well?" Sokka asked the mechanist and his son.

"We wanted to help end this war in any way we could," Teo replied, "and seeing that you guys were assembling an army out here, we decided to tag along."

"It's a lot better to build war machines out here," the inventor explained, "since we're very far away from the Fire Nation, and they won't get wind of what we're up to. Plus, I've always been fascinated by Water Tribe architecture and I figured this was the perfect opportunity to draw inspiration from it."

"Well, that's good to hear," Sokka told the man with a smile, "at least we'll have someone with some technical expertise helping us out here."

"I'm looking forward to it," the mechanist replied with a grin, "I've had so much time to think since we didn't push through with the invasion and I've come up with some ideas."

"Dad has so many plans for new and improved weapons to make everything more efficient in battle," Teo explained excitedly.

Sokka and Suki looked at each other with a smile. Things were going very well indeed.

"It's too bad I won't get to go air gliding with Aang," Teo said with a note of disappointment in his voice.

"Aang's quite busy sorting things out right now," Sokka comforted the young boy.

"But I'm sure that once everything is over," Suki added, "you'll have plenty of opportunities to go air gliding together."

"I'm looking forward to that," Teo replied wistfully as they all began entering the great ice city of the North Pole.

Once everything is over, many things will have changed but hopefully some will have remained the same.

--

"So, what do you think?" Aang asked Guru Pathik, as the young airbender took another swig of the onion and banana juice. The liquid that had seemed revolting to him at first had now developed into some sort of comfort food in times of extreme crisis. But since he could not convince any of his friends to try it, he had had to live without it. Fortunately, now that he was back in his little haven of peace at the Easter Air Temple, Aang had the opportunity to savor the delights of this unique blend of fruit and vegetable.

He had laid down all the scrolls and pictures he and Iroh had taken with them from the Dragon Bone Catacombs. He had presented each piece of ancient information to the silent Guru who pondered over every scroll carefully as Aang showed them to him. The old man held his chin in deep thought and his usually placid face now wore an expression of profound reverie. After bringing out all his scrolls and telling the Guru about everything he had discovered about the key, Aang fell silent and watched the older man, waiting for a reaction.

"Aang," the guru began gently, "I know that there are more things that are bothering you more than the answers from this key."

The Avatar closed his eyes, sighed, and nodded his head vigorously. As usual, Guru Pathik was able to see right through him. He turned his gray eyes to the old man's face.

"I don't think I'm ready to fulfill my destiny yet," the young boy said finally, and then he immediately felt waves of relief wash over him, as if a great thorn had been pulled from his side.

Guru Pathik said nothing but instead nodded at him, as if telling him to continue. Aang took another deep breath before answering.

"You're right, of course," Aang continued, "I didn't come to consult you just about the key. I need to know more about how I am going to face the Fire Lord. Maybe some part of me believes that the truth behind this key may hold the ultimate answer to my quandary, the one-step solution to my dilemma. But I have learned that nothing that matters in life is ever that simple."

"With that realization alone," Guru Pathik told the Avatar, "I am proud to say that you have learned well."

"Thank you," Aang told his teacher gratefully, "at least I haven't disappointed you there."

"Don't be afraid of disappointing anyone because you aren't doing that," Guru Pathik advised.

"It's just that everyone is depending on me to set things right," Aang argued, "and I really want to fulfill my destiny as the Avatar but even with the success of our plans, the road ahead of me keeps growing more unclear. I know that many people expect me to end the Fire Lord's life, but even if I think about all the crimes he has committed and how much better off the world would be without him, I still can't bring myself to face the thought of being a murderer."

"You are right," the guru conceded, "there is never any justification for taking anyone's life. But if you decide to spare the Fire Lord, you will have to find another way to prevent him from inflicting any more harm on the world."

"You wouldn't happen to know of any alternative, would you?" Aang asked hopefully.

"Nothing is ever clear in this life, as you may well know," Guru Pathik, much to the Avatar's dismay, "but you are wrong about thinking that you are in this struggle alone. There exists a great divide with what is just and what is convenient."

"Everything easier said than done, I'm afraid," Aang said glumly.

"But from what I've heard,.." Guru Pathik began to reply.

"Wait," Aang interrupted with a curious look on his face, "how do you hear news of the outside world if you're cooped up here all the time?"

The old man smiled at the Avatar mysteriously causing Aang to raise his eyebrows in slight puzzlement.

"While it is true that I never leave the Eastern Air Temple to venture into the outside world," Guru Pathik said with a mischievous glint in his aged eyes, "but I still do have ways of communicating and receiving information from the outside world. Complete detachment can get a bit lonely, you know."

Aang smiled back at his teacher and asked no further questions. He decided that he would simply take Guru Pathik's word for it. Looking sheepishly back at the old man, Aang nodded slightly for him to continue.

"As I was saying," Guru Pathik proceeded, "from what I heard of the dealings in the outside world, you have a great many allies who are helping you end this war. Somehow, the people of the Four Nations have finally realized that they cannot place all their hopes for a better future solely on the Avatar's shoulders. They know that they too must play a part in shaping the new era of peace and they are now doing everything they canto forward this goal. They believe in you and are willing to help you fulfill your destiny. The one most important accomplishment that you have already fulfilled is bringing hope back to a people in despair. Now that they have their hope, nothing, not even the fierce tyranny and control of a powerful madman, can ever bring them down."

"You're absolutely right," Aang agreed, "and I'm glad that I was able to restore their hope in the future. But there's still more for me to do, I know it. And somehow I feel that this key is really going to help me. So what do you think of it?"

Guru Pathik threw another glance at the arrangement of scrolls and whatnot on the ground. He had gone through each and every one of them and already formed some sort of conclusion.

"All of the accounts speak of a giant that you have to unleash from a cavernous prison," Guru Pathik said, "and after examining the other information, I am pretty certain that this prophecy is to be taken both literally and figuratively, as is the case of many pieces of ancient knowledge. Don't expect to really release a giant person who will crush the Fire Lord to bits. Even I am not sure of what you will find in that cavernous prison. But what I am sure of is that this will help you exceedingly."

"Even the slightest help that this may give me will be a great comfort," Aang replied excitedly, "if only to prove that all my searching for the truth of this key wasn't just a waste of time."

And then, the Guru rose from where he had been sitting with the airbender and began to rearrange the scrolls. Aang stood up and looked over to what the old man was doing and asked if he could help somehow. But slowly, with the guru's careful rearrangement, a larger figure began to appear. Aang's gray eyes widened as he realized what the guru was doing.

"There is one thing that you still have to master as you journey through this life," Guru Pathik told Aang as he rearranged the scrolls, forming an eerily familiar figure. Aang followed the old man as he laid down all the information in a systematic but logical way. And slowly but surely, a large picture emerged which made Aang slap his forehead for not realizing this earlier. Guru Pathik finished the rearrangement and right before them was a large map of the Four Nations with strangely familiar markings all over the different nations. And on one side of the map, on the furthest and westernmost side of the Fire Nation coast, there was a symbol that greatly resembled the key. Aang's eyes widened with recognition and delight. The young airbender grinned from ear to ear.

"You must realize," Guru Pathik concluded with a smile at the excited young Avatar, "that every little piece, no matter how different it seems from another, is ultimately part of a greater, grander plan."

--

A chilly night wind blew against her veil as the Painted Lady made her way through the forest. The leaves made a rustling sound as she sped gracefully through the tree and towards the next village. She had just returned from a mission at a neighboring town where she had healed a good number of sick children. Remembering their innocent, adoring, and grateful smiles made her forget her physical exhaustion. Such service was always worth the effort when those happy faces were the reward.

But her job there was finished and she was eager to move on, to help more people, to make a bigger difference. And yet, deep in her heart, no matter how much she tried not to act or think selfishly, she knew that the greatest motivation from her agility and speed tonight was the prospect of seeing someone dear to her once more. They had agreed to meet up in the next village and she was anxious to see him again even though they had been separated for only a short time. She couldn't explain it but she always seemed reluctant to part with him because she was constantly worried about his wellbeing. And she felt that she would rather weather the worst of storms again as long as it was by his side.

Katara paused to catch her breath and to laugh at herself slightly. She gazed wistfully at the moon as she shone her light upon the dark woods.

"Oh, Yue," Katara whispered with a smile, knowing that the lunar spirit could probably hear her, "I'm becoming so sappy and sentimental. It's a little embarrassing."

The waterbender breathed in the cool night air coupled with the comfortingly fresh scents of the woods and trees. She was slowly getting used to the idea that the Fire Nation, the home of her greatest enemies, was not only a place of destruction, war, poverty, and corruption, but also a hauntingly beautiful land, unfortunately tainted by its abusive leaders. She was beginning to understand why Zuko loved this country so much and why he was so determined to save it. It was a beautiful place, and it was his home.

He had been reluctant to let her accompany him on this journey at first, because, according to him, he didn't want to involve her in any situation that was potentially dangerous. But Katara being Katara, she had been adamant about going with him and in the end, no one could stop her. There was no denying Zuko felt a great comfort with her presence but she also sensed that he was hiding something from her. But their days and nights were so full of stealthily infiltrating villages, liberating townspeople from abusive soldiers, destroying polluting factories, healing the sick, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, and all manner of noble deeds that they hardly had time to discuss their situation before moving on to the next villages and towns.

This elaborate little masquerade had been Zuko's idea from the very beginning. While his father focused on taking control of the capital and the major cities and colonies of the Fire Nation, he, Zuko, would do as the Avatar did in the past two seasons – help as many people as he could. But he had to be careful. It was all well and good that the Fire Lord believed he was dead and that there was no coming threat from the Avatar. Zuko had agreed with Sokka that one of the best strategies for a victory was employing the classic element of surprise.

Other than that, Zuko had wanted to take a closer look at the plight and conditions of his people so that he would have ideas on how to alleviate their sufferings. He had learned so much from his exile and wanderings in the Earth Kingdom and the young firebender felt that it was high time for him to learn about his own people's struggles. This was something he felt necessary ever since his uncle Iroh, his aunt Melisande, and the Sun Warriors had emphasized the fact that it would be he who would redeem the name of the Fire Nation. And despite all his uncle and friends' reassurances that he had regained his honor, Zuko still felt that he had something more to prove.

Katara knew this well and she also knew that he was worried about her safety just as much as she was worried about his. But the bond they had forged together during their stay on the strange island had grown stronger and stronger and they now both knew that whatever hardship they would have to face, they must do so together. Zuko had yet to tell her what was on his mind but the waterbender was patient and she knew that he would soon open up once the opportunity presented itself.

The "Painted Lady" reached a clearing between the edge of the woods and a small group of houses. She had arrived promptly at her destination so she looked around her, trying to spot her companion. He had a habit of always being on time, and of always being so focused. She supposed that the latter was not surprising considering how determined he had been to capture the Avatar.

As Katara looked around, a figure emerged from the shadows. At first, it only looked like a floating blue mask but as it moved forward, the figure of a person dressed in all black was soon visible. The Painted Lady heard his approach and quickly whirled around to see a smiling Zuko. Katara couldn't resist smiling back and throwing her arms around the young firebender.

"We're both right on schedule," Zuko said with a hint of amusement, "Sokka would have been very proud."

Katara laughed at him and they exchanged the usual affectionate gestures and glances, each content to be in the other's arms once more. They recounted the success of their missions to one another and began making their way to the village.

"I heard a peculiar rumor about this place which might perk your interest, Katara," Zuko told the waterbender with a smile.

"Well, what is it?" Katara asked eagerly.

"According to what I've heard," Zuko said, "there is an old waterbender in this village, a waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe."

--

_Hope this wasn't too boring. I want to make things go as fast as I can because I have a limited number of chapters to adhere to. I'm sorry to have to add Aang's moral dilemma almost exactly as it was shown in the series but I feel it is integral to his character. And sorry if Katara became a little too sentimental for her own good._

_More to come soon. Thank you for your support._


	12. Part Two, Chapter 3

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender, among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

"This must be some kind of a joke!"

A chill went down the earthbenders' spines as the menacing cackle of the Fire Nation princess rang through the air. She seemed very amused at this one-sided fight and was determined to defeat them in the most humiliating way possible. She glanced sadistically at them even as she stood with her two strong female companions and her vast army of Dai Li agents who were all poised in a deadly fighting stance. Her fierce golden eyes were almost as powerful as the lightning that she shot from her manicured fingers, and her gaze bored into the souls of each and every one of the earthbending insurgents. She knew that they knew that they were losing this battle and she was relishing their realization of defeat and hopelessness.

"You're all hilarious," Azula continued to taunt the meager rebel forces, lazily shooting a blast of lightning in the direction of the nervous rebels, "to even try to stand up to me. This isn't courage, it's folly. And if any of you still value your pathetic little lives, then, I would suggest that you surrender. Now."

At this, Azula raised her hand and the Dai Li agents quickly sent powerful volleys of earth and rock towards the small group of the resistance, who just as speedily erected walls of earth to block the blows. Ty Lee had begun cartwheeling in their direction and had effortlessly blocked the chi of about three earthbender rebels. Mai unleashed a shower of blades and knives at them and Azula, cackling with sadistic glee, seemed to dance with joy as she aimed large blue fire blasts at the small group of rebels. Several of the resistance members began retaliating but it was a losing battle. To buy them some time, they kept erecting tall and thick walls of earth to shield themselves from the combined attacks of flying daggers, large rocks, and bright blue fire blasts.

"I'm getting bored of this game," Azula said in a threatening but singsong voice, "I might just decide to end it prematurely."

"I think we'd better take her word for it," one of the rebels told their young leader. Raising a wall of earth and sending it towards their opponents, Haru frowned because he knew that his comrade was right. Receiving a fresh batch of blows, he clenched his teeth before sending another set of rocks on the defense.

"The Boulder doesn't feel any inclination to surrendering in any fight," the Boulder told Haru, "but the Boulder also realizes that we are at a severe disadvantage in this one."

"Your father would not think any less of you if you gave up honorably," another older earthbender told the young man.

"If only he were here with us now," Haru thought frantically as he sent a boulder towards the approaching Dai Li agents, "instead of supervising the other earthbender rebels in the North. He would surely know what to do in this situation."

Raising another wall of earth to block the Fire Princess' blue flames, Haru took a deep breath and composed himself. He would not break under the pressure, not today. His father had put him in charge of this mission and he did not want to let him down, he did not want to let Aang down.

Panting for breath after taking another set of attacks from Azula and her army, Haru looked around him at his companions. They were all exhausted and weakened by four days of continuous fighting. It had been a fool's errand to hope to defeat Azula's forces and defend Ba Sing Se but the plan had been that they would buy some time, time enough for reinforcements to arrive to defend the city. But no help had come. Although they had sent messages requesting for urgent support, until now, none had arrived. And their numbers, little as these already were, were depleting fast. Haru knew that he had to decide immediately if he was still to save what little troops they had left.

He knew that if they continued this fight, the princess would have no mercy and they would be completely annihilated in the span of minutes. The young earthbender looked once more towards his greatest foe as she laughed sadistically at their sad efforts to maintain their defense. Azula sent lightning bolts and fire blasts at them playfully and effortlessly, as if enjoying to see them squirm and struggle to avoid her attacks.

Haru narrowed his eyes at this enemy, fear and fascination taking over him. Before facing her in battle, he had already heard so many stories told about the ruthless and strong daughter of the Fire Lord, whose skills in warfare and manipulation were legendary. He had expected her to look like a hideous monster who was a reflection of the cruelty and evil of her father and his forefathers. Instead, when he had first seen Princess Azula, Haru had been dumbfounded by her appearance. She was not all what he had expected. And yet, though her physical appearance did not seem to imply that she was indeed a murderous psychopath, her bearing, her words, and the mad glint in those golden eyes were enough to prove to the young earthbender that this princess was just as dangerous as she was beautiful.

He levitated a large rock to block a fire ball she had thrown in his direction and he was thrown back several steps. Haru looked at the princess again. She didn't need the Dai Li agents or even her two friends to defeat him and his small band of resistance. Having heard of her being a firebending prodigy and having been at the receiving end of only a percentage of her prowess, he knew that she was powerful enough to defeat them all by herself. And the only reason she was holding back on them now and had let the fight last this long was because she was taking an absurd amusement in seeing them struggle. But she would triumph in the end and they would never be able to stop her. Unfortunately for these earthbenders, it seemed like the fearsome Fire Nation Princess' patience was wearing thin and if Haru didn't give the order now, she would most likely barbecue them all on the spot. The young earthbender clenched his fists. He would not allow that to happen. He was responsible for the lives of everyone here and since the circumstances dictated it, he would swallow his pride and do what he thought was right. He couldn't risk everyone's life on the presumption that he could somehow take on this unsurpassed opponent.

With a wide motion of his arms, he created a large earth tent surrounding the remnants of his resistance force and he gathered them together. The other fighters, not putting their guard down, approached their leader with some reverence and respect, waiting to hear what he had to say.

Haru sighed deeply before making the announcement.

"We can't hold out against them much longer," he explained what all the men there already knew well, "for now I don't want to risk losing any more men. The reinforcements have not arrived but I feel that they soon will. For the present, I believe it is in our best interest to give ourselves up until the others arrive."

"Better a prisoner than a corpse, the Boulder thinks," the Boulder said with a shrug.

"You made the right decision, Haru," the other elderly soldier told the boy, placing a comforting hand on the young man's shoulder.

Haru nodded curtly. "I only hope that I won't regret this," he muttered gravely.

Then, they all stood together, their hands raised in a surrendering position as Haru put down the tent of earth which was about to crumble anyway from the many attacks from their enemies.

Azula raised a hand and told the Dai Li to stop attacking. Mai and Ty Lee returned to her side immediately and faced their weakened opponents. Taking one glance at Haru and his troops, Azula smirked with satisfaction. Things always worked out her way.

"I see you've finally chosen the path of least resistance," she taunted them, walking towards Haru who stood with a grim expression, his head bowed in shame.

"Hmm," the princess muttered looking at Haru's still figure, and then circling him like a vulture, "such a pity that it took you this long to make the right decision. You wouldn't have had to go through all that trouble trying to save face when you were going to lose it anyway."

Haru clenched his fists but said nothing and seeing their leader not reacting to the princess' taunts, the others followed suit and remained silent.

"Well," Azula concluded, "since you've all finally decided to surrender, I'm going to be merciful today. I'm going to let you keep your pathetic little lives, for whatever they're worth."

Azula turned her back on them and instantly, the Dai Li agents had bound all the rebels in metal chains. They made no struggle to break free but instead remained calm and tolerant.

"Take them to the Crystal Catacombs to mull over how they've wasted my time," Azula ordered the Dai Li, who quickly began escorting the prisoners to their subterranean cells.

"That was a bore," Mai commented as Azula walked back towards them, "no challenge at all."

"And although he's a pretty good earthbender, that leader guy looks really funny," Ty Lee observed with a suppressed giggle, "he looks more like a woman with a mustache stuck on."

"I have to agree with you there," Mai said, unable to suppress a contemptuous chuckle. Azula was snickering as well, and she turned to take another glance at Haru's retreating figure.

"But stupid though he may look," Azula muttered to her two companions, "I may find some better use for him yet."

--

The two travellers entered the small, isolated inn. It was a small place, built with wood, and simply furnished. There didn't seem to be any patrons frequenting the place and it seemed all in all, rather deserted. A chilly gust of wind blue against the curtains, giving the inn a very spooky atmosphere.

"Are you sure we're in the right place?" Katara asked her companion. She had discarded her "Painted Lady" costume and was instead dressed in traditional Fire Nation attire.

"I'm sure," the firebender replied, "according to Aunt Melisande's spies, the waterbender stays in an inn. And this is the only inn in this small village. And according to the villagers, the proprietor is an old woman of unknown origins. I'm certain she's the person we're looking for."

Zuko was dressed in regular Fire Nation clothes as well but he had covered his scar with some large bandages so it looked like he was only recently injured by some accident. But in order not to draw attention to the bandages, he still wore a dark hood over his head. He looked around the small room and noticed that there was something cooking in the kitchen. Surely, someone lived in this place.

He had received the information from one of Melisande's spies from the rebel troops. Apparently, the old waterbender who lived here had gotten wind of the secret rebel society and had volunteered to join. When they learned of her ability, she had been recruited immediately and had proven to be a great asset to them. Her inn, at one point, had also served as a meeting place between some of the other rebels, or a refuge for those under suspicion by the authorities. Like everyone else, she had been a victim of the war and longed to help end it in any way that she could.

Katara looked around her eagerly, trying to calm her beating heart. To meet another waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe! She hardly knew what to say or do.

Seeing her excitement, Zuko hoped that the old lady would soon show herself to them. He knew how much this meeting meant to Katara and he did not want to see her disappointed. So they continued to look around.

"Welcome, weary travellers," they heard a voice behind them, "my name is Hama. How kind of you to drop by my humble establishment to rest from your journey."

Zuko and Katara turned to see a hunched old lady, with long white hair, a wrinkled face, and a warm smile. The young waterbender took a look at the woman and then, unable to restrain herself, she blurted out an introduction.

"My name is Katara," she said, "and I'm a waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe."

At this, the old woman's eyes widened with surprise and recognition. The two women looked at one another with unspoken emotion and instantly, a feeling of kinship was established between them. Zuko smiled as he watched the two waterbenders embrace and begin talking excitedly about their tribes and about their elements. After a few moments, the old lady recounted the story of how little by little all the waterbenders in the Southern Water Tribe had been captured and imprisoned in the Fire Nation under cruel conditions. Katara then told Hama about her own experiences in the war time and especially about her mother's death. As Hama and Katara retold their experiences in those hard times, Zuko couldn't help but feel guilty for the heinous crimes committed by his people during the war, the harsh methods they employed to keep their enemies at bay. Through their travels, he had already heard numerous accounts of the sufferings of different people during the war and the more he heard about the pain and misery caused by one man, his father, and his lust for power, the more Zuko was determined to do everything in his power to put a stop to this madness. The Avatar had to succeed in restoring balance. It was long overdue.

But the firebender also noticed something strange about the old waterbender. There was something about her overly pleasant demeanor which disturbed him somewhat. The calm she employed even as she recounted her horrible experiences in prison seemed quite abnormal. And she had an air about her of silent but powerful rage. He couldn't quite place it but Zuko knew that this old lady was not one to take insult with impunity. But he shrugged off the strange suspicion he had as a result of an ingrained bias against people not from the Fire Nation. And seeing Katara being so at ease with Hama, Zuko figured that perhaps he was just being too paranoid.

After a few minutes, the two women remembered his presence and Katara embarrassedly introduced him. Since she was already a member of their rebel troops as well as a waterbender from the same tribe, Katara trusted her fully and decided not to keep any secrets from the kindly old woman. Although they had decided to keep Zuko's true identity a secret even amongst other spies, Katara felt like Hama was to be trusted and so introduced him as her good friend and the "converted" son of the Fire Lord. Although he slightly objected to Katara's decision, he respected her and said nothing, instead, he bowed respectfully to the old woman. Hama gave the young firebender a strangely intense glance before declaring that it was a pleasure to meet him.

They all shared a pleasant dinner after which Hama showed Katara her most precious possession, a whale-bone comb from the Southern Water Tribe. Katara was touched by the gesture and felt all the more connected to the older waterbender. Hama then invited Katara to train in and learn some new techniques for waterbending which she had created herself. Katara had expressed a great excitement to do so the next day. There also seemed to be one new technique, in particular, which Hama seemed most eager to teach her but said nothing about its nature to the younger girl.

"Let's just be thankful," the old lady had said mysteriously, "that tomorrow is the night of the full moon, and our powers as waterbenders will be at their peak."

Hama escorted the two to their rooms and bid them good night. As they walked along the halls of the inn, Zuko noticed that an assortment of puppets had fallen out of one of the cabinets on the wall. And when he lay in his bed that night, he somehow couldn't shake the feeling that there was something off about the old waterbender. He decided to conduct more investigations the next day, while Hama and Katara were out training. And for the first time, he began to feel albeit incomprehensibly that it may have been a mistake for them to come here, after all.

--

Haru looked up from his lonely prison cell and was surprised to see two fierce golden eyes staring at him through the small window of his door. Although taken aback by the intensity of that gaze, he refused to look intimidated and so he glared back.

"What do you want?" he said sharply.

He heard a sinister but slightly melodic laugh in reply as Princess Azula gave him a very amused look.

"I think you should be asking yourself that question, mustache-boy," she teased him.

He tried to ignore the insult and said nothing. Instead, he turned his back to her and faced the wall. She didn't seem offended by this and continued talking.

"Haru's your name, right?" Azula said, in a taunting but tempting voice, "well, I've come to offer you something."

"I'm not interested in anything _you _might have to offer me," Haru replied sharply.

Haru then said nothing and concentrated at staring at the metal wall before him. He did not know what the princess wanted him to do but whatever it was, he wasn't sure if he would be able to refuse.

"Well," Azula continued, ignoring his responses, "I've been feeling rather generous lately. Probably because I've been enjoying my victory in Ba Sing Se. But somehow, I don't feel overly contented."

"What? The world's not enough for you?" Haru couldn't resist retorting. Azula laughed that strange, scary, and hair-raising laugh which made Haru gulp.

"Don't be an idiot, Haru," she replied in amusement, "I don't have the world yet. But I'm hoping that I soon will. And you're going to help me do that."

"And what makes you think I'm going to cooperate?" Haru asked her, turning to glare at those golden eyes.

"Oh, nothing, really," Azula replied, looking at her finger nails in a lazy manner, "I just had the feeling that you would probably like to see your father live to see the next day."

--

Zuko ran as fast as he could to the dark grove, searching frantically for Katara or Hama. The full moon illuminated the woods but they were nowhere in sight. He cursed under his breath before continuing his search. He had to find Katara, he had to save her from that madwoman.

He had gone around the town to investigate more about Hama and his worst fears had been realized. There had been a series of mysterious disappearances every night of the full moon and every single incident seemed to have a link to the strange old innkeeper. Zuko had gone to the area where most of the disappearances had occurred and surveyed the surroundings. And then, he heard screaming and crying from beneath the ground and soon, he discovered an underground prison in a cave. Using his fire to melt the locks and set the people free, Zuko asked them how they got there. And they all answered what he had feared the most.

"_It was no spirit."_

"_It was a witch who controlled us like some weird puppetmaster."_

"_The innkeeper."_

"_Hama."_

And so, after liberating all the prisoners, Zuko had run as fast as he could to where he thought Hama and Katara were "training." He mentally slapped himself for being so negligent, for ever thinking this was a good idea. He had only wanted to give Katara something to be happy about and it had turned into a great nightmare.

--

"Once you perfect this technique," Hama concluded after giving another story about her wretched imprisonment, "you can control anything...or anyone."

"But, to reach inside someone and to control them?" Katara asked uneasily, "I don't think I want that kind of power."

"The choice is not yours," Hama answered back passionately, "the power exists. And it's your duty to use the gifts you've been given to help end this war. Katara, they tried to wipe us out, our entire culture. Think about your mother!"

"I know," Katara said sadly.

"Then you should understand what I'm talking about," the old lady continued, her voice rising and her eyes widening, "We're the last waterbenders of the Southern Water Tribe. We have to fight these people whenever and however we can, using whatever means necessary!"

Katara, wide-eyed, backed away from the crazed old waterbender.

"What is wrong with you?" she cried in horror.

"They threw me in prison to rot," Hama yelled in fury, "along with my brothers and sisters. They deserve the same. You must carry on my work."

"Never," Katara retorted defiantly, "I won't use bloodbending against anyone."

"Then, you are just a traitor like the rest of them," Hama answered bitterly, raising her fingers and moving them as if she was manipulating a puppet.

All of a sudden, Katara felt her arms twist around her, and go behind her back, out of her control. She quickly tried to grab her arm but she found that she couldn't move it of her own accord. The young waterbender's body began to twist and jerk violently and erratically as she was moved from side to side by the puppetmaster's firm hand.

"You should have learned the technique before turning against me," Hama said sinisterly, "it's impossible to fight your way out of my grip. I control every muscle, every vein in your body."

And with a violent jerk, Katara was brought to her knees and she looked up at the eerie figure of the bloodbender, and tears flowed from Katara's blue eyes.

"Stop this, please," she begged, tears streaming down her face. But Hama only cackled sinisterly in reply.

Her sadistic laughter was interrupted when a ball of fire was thrown her way. Hama was able to dodge it just in the nick of time.

"Let her go, you witch!" Zuko cried as he ran in, his hands blasting flames in the old woman's direction. Hama dodged his blows and when she caught her breath, she took a battle stance, drawing water from the nearest tree, causing the plant to wither and die. Then, recalling herself, the old lady gave a sinister glance at the young firebender, and she dropped the water. Zuko, still in a fighting stance, his fist aimed at the old lady, did not know what to expect.

"Zuko, watch out!" Katara cried, but it was too late.

And then, Zuko's eyes widened as his arms began to twist of their own accord. He looked towards the old woman and saw that she was moving her fingers in tight, jerky motions, and the rest of his body seemed to follow her commands. He could not fight her control and he realized that this was how she captured all those people she had imprisoned in the cave. But he was powerless under her grip.

"Did you think that I would let you get away, _Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation_," Hama said contemptuously, "did you think I would miss out on the opportunity of taking the ultimate revenge against the leader of the nation that made my life a living hell?"

Zuko clenched his teeth as his body was contorted in various exceedingly painful positions. He was brought to his knees and he felt unbelievable pain shoot through his entire body. Hama was now cackling menacingly and in a wild frenzy as she tortured Zuko.

"You are the Fire Lord's son," she spat at him, "and you will pay for all your crimes and your people's crimes."

"You're mad," Zuko muttered in between screams of agony, only making Hama cackle louder.

"That's enough!" Katara cried, sending a large water whip in Hama's direction. Hama had to momentarily let her hold on Zuko slacken as she took water from a nearby tree to counter Katara's attack.

"You're not the only one who draws power from the moon," Katara said with a warning tone.

"So, you are nothing but a filthy traitor," Hama spat, aiming a large globe of water at Katara.

But the younger waterbender was quick and she was able to successfully block that attack with a skillful motion of her hands. Then, she retaliated by sending a rain of frozen darts which Hama blocked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Katara yelled back, "I trusted you."

"You are fraternizing with the enemy," Hama accused the other girl, as the old woman threw larger frozen darts at Katara, "you would defend and befriend this worthless firebender and betray your own people."

Somehow, Hama was able to resume bloodbending an already weakened Zuko and he began to writhe and moan in pain, rolling around the ground under Hama's control.

"Let him go," Katara cried, "I'm not betraying anyone."

"Oh, really?" Hama taunted, still torturing Zuko, "then why are you working with the son of the Fire Lord. His father and forefathers murdered our people. How dare you turn your back on them, for him!"

With the last sentence, Hama jerked her fingers and Zuko screamed in pain as various wounds began to break from his body, his blood being bended out of him by Hama. Katara gasped in horror and tried to focus on defeating Hama so that she would be able to tend to Zuko's injuries as soon as possible. The firebender fell to the ground in a shivering heap.

"He's not like them," Katara argued, still engaged in battle with the older waterbender, and trying to convince Hama of Zuko's virtues, "he's a good person. And he's just as determined to end this war as the rest of us."

"Lies!" Hama cried, sending a water whip which Katara countered with a whip of her own, "and I thought you were a smart little girl, Katara. You disappoint me. And by doing this treachery, you have let down your own mother."

Katara stood speechless after this, so shocked and enraged by this statement that she was unable to counter-attack. Hama smiled sinisterly and with her free hand, began to bloodbend Katara once more while the full moon illuminated the three figures in that clearing in the woods.

Once more, Katara felt herself lose control of her movements and her body began to jerk violently.

"You are such a waste, Katara," Hama told her, "one of the last waterbenders of our tribe, taking sides with a filthy firebender. Both of you deserve to be punished severely for this treachery."

But as Hama raised both hands and prepared to torture both benders, the old waterbender felt her powers weaken. And suddenly, some of her fingers felt warm, and warmer...until they were almost burnt. And before she could react she had to dodge a large fire blast thrown her way.

The old hag looked incredulously at the direction where the fire came from and saw Zuko, bloodied and staggering on his feet, glaring at her while in a fighting stance.

"That's impossible," Hama cried in shock while Zuko helped Katara get up, his eyes never leaving the old woman.

"Apparently not, you rely on imposing your will on others, maybe you never considered that their will could one day overpower yours," Zuko said walking towards the weakened old woman, "I'm not as weak as you supposed. The moment you let your guard down, I was able to regain and to maintain control of myself. You can no longer control me. And now, we must end this madness."

"Not on your life," Hama yelled back, quickly getting up and raising her fingers once more. But this time, it was her turn to be controlled. With wide eyes, the old bloodbender felt her body move on its own, her hands dropped at her sides and she fell to her knees.

Zuko watched with wide-eyes at this and quickly turned to see that Katara, with an angry and concentrated look on her face and tears streaming down her cheeks, had raised her fingers and was controlling Hama.

"Katara," Zuko said gently, walking towards her and laying a hand on her shoulder, "you don't have to do this."

Slowly, she released her hold on Hama and then Katara simply dropped her hands to her sides. The other waterbender was too exhausted to try counter attacking and Zuko quickly bound her hands with rope he had brought for that specific purpose. After that, he quickly went to comfort Katara.

"She hurt you," Katara whispered, quickly applying her healing powers on Zuko's wounds, "and she dishonored my mother's memory."

"I'm sorry," Zuko whispered back, "this was my idea."

"There's nothing to forgive," Katara replied, "you knew that I've always wanted to meet another waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe. This just didn't turn out the way I expected it."

"Well, don't worry," Zuko comforted her, "you're free of this nightmare now."

And then they heard a soft but menacing chuckle come from Hama's small, bound figure.

"You will never be free of it," Hama muttered darkly, "my work here is done. Congratulations, Katara, you're a bloodbender."

Zuko glared at the crazed old woman before comforting a now weeping Katara. Then, there was nothing he wanted more than to go as far away from that terrible place as possible.

--

_And there. I hope this chapter didn't seem too rushed or insubstantial. I had to use certain lines and scenes from "The Puppetmaster" and I really wanted to integrate Hama into this story because bloodbending will be important. I'm sorry if I skipped the part of Hama getting water from flowers and stuff. I've assumed you've all seen that part anyway and it didn't need to be rewritten._

_This is a chapter about puppetry and manipulation, not just for Katara and Hama but for Haru and Azula as well. I hope you liked it and I will appreciate all your feedback._

_Thank you._


	13. Part Two, Chapter 4

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender, among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

Slightly and carefully raising his bald head from the boulder he was hiding behind, the Avatar scrupulously observed his surroundings. Appa was safely hidden in a grove somewhere, away from this place. And it was just as well. The last airbender narrowed his eyes. He had not expected such circumstances, and he hated to admit it but this time, Fire Lord Ozai had been one step ahead of him. Again.

For, true to Guru Pathik's words, Aang had indeed reached the great and ancient cave that was spoken about in the legends about the key. It was a large, cavernous place, a natural wonder, untainted by the workings of man. And as he had sensed immediately, the cave was filled with an incredible spiritual power. Then, right in the center of the sacred lair, was an enormous carving that was magnificent not just because of the intricate and splendid details, but also because this structure did not look at all like it was made by man. More than any other thing in that cave, this grand statue seemed so natural and benign. And more importantly, it was a figure of a giant in chains.

But unfortunately, the whole place was surrounded by Fire Nation guards.

There could be no entering the cave without being detected. Clearly, Fire Lord Ozai had unlocked the secrets of the slumbering, shackled giant, earlier than Aang had. And now, the Avatar's enemy had set up precautionary measures, to make sure that the young airbender would no longer benefit from even the remnants of the sacred site. Turning his grey eyes this way and that, Aang saw that it was impossible for him to get in unnoticed and even if he did manage to airbend all the guards out of the way, there was no assurance that he would find anything of use inside that cave. After all, Fire Lord Ozai had gotten the mystical key before he did. And now, undoubtedly, Ozai had already used the artifact to his advantage.

But Aang couldn't help remembering both Guru Pathik and Iroh's words. Even if Ozai held the physical manifestation of that ancient and mighty power, Aang was still the Avatar, still the sole person who could truly control this great force. The prophecy spoke only of the Avatar. Freeing this giant was his destiny and not even the Fire Lord could take that away from him. Even if Ozai had taken something from this cave, Aang felt certain that he would still be able to gain something, at least some knowledge on how he could defeat the Fire Lord in the most humane possible.

The young airbender glanced once more at the legion of guards surrounding the ancient site. Although they looked very experienced and disciplined, they also seemed extremely bored. After all, it wasn't likely that anyone would even go to that remote place in the Earth Kingdom. No one but the Avatar, of course. Nevertheless, it seemed unlikely that they would receive a visit from the last airbender since he hadn't been seen for several months. No one was even sure if he was alive.

If you would ask any of the guards what they would rather have been doing at that moment, invariably, they would have answered that they would rather have been defending the Fire Nation against the rebel forces. The Avatar may not have been seen, but his friends and allies had been doing all they could to try and weaken the forces of the Fire Nation. During the eclipse, several major prison breaks had occurred as well as weapons theft. Not to mention, of course, Prince Zuko's death and Princess Azula's escape and subsequent occupation of Ba Sing Se. Much to everyone's surprise, the princess had declared her rebellion against her father as well as her very serious intentions of overthrowing him and taking over the world on her own. The war had just taken a very dangerous twist. And now, there was unrest and uneasiness among the people of the Fire Nation, and even their great Fire Lord seemed perturbed by the recent events. And that was why he came to this place, to acquire a greater power, and a greater assurance of victory.

Before deciding on how to enter, Aang listened as intently as he could to the conversations between the guards. He had learned that one could learn more from listening than speaking and he was really feeling the benefit of such a technique at the moment. Somehow, many of his questions about this cave and the Fire Lord's dealings in it seemed to be answered by his eavesdropping on the oblivious Fire Nation sentinels. He also enjoyed learning without having to be aggressive or violent because it was never in his nature to inflict harm on any living thing, no matter what side they were on in the century-long war.

And so it was that the Avatar learned of what went on in the rest of the world while he was in search of the key to his destiny. Aang was surprised to hear about Azula's takeover of Ba Sing Se and as much as he wanted to go stop her himself, he knew that his friends would take care of it. He had faith in them and tried not to think about how much he missed them while he was out here on his own. He also listened with satisfaction as the guards talked about the succession of strange spiritual appearances in remote villages. Although he was the bridge between the Spirit World and the Living World, Aang was well aware of the identities of these wandering spirits.

Since he was already aware of his friends' progress in their missions, he now focused more on his own. He listened intently as the guards described what had happened when the Fire Lord had entered the cave, holding a small item in his hands. Most of them professed an inadequacy of eloquence to express what had transpired. But they all agreed that the moment the Fire Lord had placed the key into the lock on the giant statue's chains, a great light shone forth from the giant's eyes and spread all over the cave. None of them knew exactly how long this mystical spectacle had occurred but all they remembered that when the Fire Lord walked out of that cave, he looked excessively satisfied, even jubilant. Whatever had happened, it had pleased the Fire Lord, and surely meant that he was more confident than ever about winning the war.

Aang narrowed his eyes as he listened to those conversations. Hazarding another glance at the interior of the cave, at the tremendous giant wrought of the earth. Even though the Fire Lord had taken what he had expected to take, as Aang stared into the dark, carved eyes of the ancient figure, the young Avatar felt that this cave still held many wondrous secrets and powers that only he was destined to discover.

--

"Well, well, who do we have here?" Toph said with a grin.

"I take it you are already acquainted with our young ally?" Melisande, with raised eyebrows and an amused expression, asked the young earthbender.

"Yeah, we've met," Toph replied.

"I'm glad to see you still remember me," replied the newcomer with his trademark wily smile.

"I'm just curious though," Toph asked the young man, "how did you survive that attack under Lake Laogai."

"Don't look so nervous," Melisande assured him, "we can talk about it as we travel back to Ba Sing Se."

"That's good to know," Jet replied, "because it's a bit of a long story."

--

The walled city was hers completely.

He watched in constant awe as she called the shots and he couldn't help but show his wonder at her authority. He knew very well that he ought to conceal his admiration, that he must constantly act like he was only being coerced to become one of her minions, but he couldn't help himself. Princess Azula was unlike any girl he had ever encountered and Haru could not conceal his constant awe in her presence.

He stood at one side of the former Earth King's throne on which Azula sat. On the other side stood her two powerful friends Mai and Ty Lee. By some strange design of hers, Azula had chosen him to be the third in her select group of fighters despite all his protests and antagonisms. She delighted in vexing him and pushing him to the limit, especially since she knew he would not dare refuse. Not when his father's life was on the line. As well as everyone else's.

And so Haru had reluctantly succumbed to the seemingly disgraceful office of being one of Princess Azula's minions. She knew too well that there was no disgrace greater than this, and no mortification that could compare to being branded a traitor among one's own people. And since he had been the leader of the now-defunct resistance, she had chosen him to be made an example of, to break people's faith in anyone coming to rescue them , and to take away their hope of ever being free again.

It pained Haru greatly to have to be in this position, especially since he saw that he caused a lot of pain and disillusionment in his people. What he hated more than anything was being selfish and he found out, with much shock, that Azula had deduced this fear in him in the brief encounters they had on the battlefield. She played him excellently, knowing that he would never do anything that would compromise his people. So she threatened to burn the residential area of Ba Sing Se to the ground (which he knew, she was perfectly capable of doing all by herself) if he did not agree to become one of her minions. Haru knew that it was not out of any particular fondness she had for him, and the Spirits knew he had none for her whatsoever, but of the symbolic nature of his submission. And now, as he catered to her every whim, he was betraying his people and yet saving them at the same time. It was maddening.

And every day that he woke up to find himself still her slave, Haru prayed that wherever Aang and his friends were and whatever they were doing, they would finish it fast and come to the rescue once again. Haru felt weak for having to hope and depend on the Avatar's help once again but he could see no other way out of this elaborate trap. He could only hope to keep Azula's plans at bay while he waited for help to come.

He threw a glance at the composed and confident figure on the throne. She knew that despite his antagonism, he had a certain, strange admiration for her and she constantly played it to her advantage by treating him as lowly as she could and constantly imposing her will over his. There was a strange thrill she got in particular, by tormenting the mustached young earthbender and she took every opportunity to enjoy that thrill.

Calmly but dangerously decisively, Azula maintained complete control of the massive Earth Kingdom fortress. No one could escape and no one could enter. And this was a policy that was implemented to the letter. And because of her control and influence of the entire Dai Li as well as several deadly Fire Nation assassins she had hired to help maintain order, no one dared defy her.

And as she held the most powerful fortress in the world, a city that had held its own against the Fire Nation for more than a century, she played Ba Sing Se as a trump card in her battle against her father. Her true intentions for amassing a vast and formidable army were now becoming very clear. She had never wanted to help her father rule the world. She had wanted to do so on her own.

It seemed like the Fire Lord's lust for ultimate power had been passed on to his favorite daughter and the virtues for which he favored her over Zuko were now turning against him. But it was by no means a one-sided battle. Father and daughter were both extremely powerful opponents and both knew each others' strengths and weaknesses more than well enough due to their relationship. And neither of them was willing to surrender.

But Azula also knew well that to go against her and the Allied Forces of the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom would be most impractical. She was well aware of her father's priorities in taking over the world. He would not strike her down now, she was hardly a pain in his side. He would wait until he had destroyed all the other races before he would destroy her. But she didn't intend to wait until that time.

As of the moment, Princess Azula was turning Ba Sing Se into a gigantic headquarters for the vast army she was gathering to go against the Fire Lord. With the pressure of her forces as well as the combined strength of the Avatar's allies bearing down upon him, even the great Fire Lord Ozai would have no choice but to succumb to defeat.

This time, she thought, there would be no more unwelcome interferences from her lousy brother. After all, Zuzu was dead.

And this time, all her plans would proceed perfectly and without a hitch. Everything was being prepared according to schedule and she would soon have an army to rival even her father's. Azula also knew that when the comet arrived, granting her unbelievable power as well, things would finally fall into place. Having given all her orders for the time being, she leaned back comfortably into the throne, putting her hands together and smiling sinisterly and with morbid satisfaction.

Beside her, Ty Lee began to get slightly nervous, recognizing that murderous glint in the princess's eyes. Mai, on the other hand, had observed it as well but merely rolled her eyes. Nevertheless, she was troubled. Things had advanced to a very dangerous degree and no matter how confident Azula was about success this time, the dark haired blade specialist couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. In situations of complete certainty, something was always bound to mess up.

On the other side of the throne, Haru gulped as he saw Azula's sinister expression. He knew extreme trouble when he saw it and at that moment, more than at any other given time, even when she had exhibited her amazing skill on the battlefield, he felt that she was definitely the deadliest woman he had ever met.

--

"_Just let her go and I'll give you the information you want."_

"_You heard your mother. Get out of here!"_

"_Mom, I'm scared."_

"_Go find your dad, sweetie. I'll handle this."_

_The little girl ran as fast as she could to get help. But when she ran back, it had been too late._

"No! Mom! Please, come back!" Katara cried as she woke up with a start, beads of cold sweat pouring down her face. She was shaking violently and her heart was pounding so fast that she clutched at her chest for support.

Instantly, Zuko had risen from where he had been sleeping nearby and ran to her side. Noticing her agitation, he held her shoulders to steady her and looked at the waterbender with concern.

"Katara," he asked with urgency, "what's wrong? What happened?"

For a few moments, the waterbender was unable to say a word, still shaken from the nightmare. Zuko understood that she needed some time to recover and he didn't press her for details while she rallied herself. Instead, he simply remained by her side, comforting her and steadying her trembling form.

Finally, when Katara had the strength and will to speak again, she told him about the dream. Zuko sat down quietly, facing her, and listened intently to her recount.

"It was a horrible nightmare," Katara began, unable to hold back the tears, "I relived the day my mother was killed by a Fire Nation soldier."

As she recounted the details of that fateful day, the black ash falling from the sky, the Fire Nation raid, and the presence of that cruel soldier in their home. Zuko listened with a grave face as Katara described every moment of pain and sadness that she had to experience as such a young child, that day her mother was killed. He could only imagine the devastation and emptiness she had felt upon seeing her mother's limp and lifeless body. As she continued talking in an increasingly agitated manner, he said nothing but placed his hand on hers and squeezed it sympathetically. After she finished telling him about that painful experience, the normally strong waterbender simply broke down crying, and collapsed into his arms.

Zuko held her close and tight, trying to show her that he was there for her and that she would be able to bear the pain with her usual conviction and strength. Although the established mode was to stroke her back and to whisper words of soothing encouragement to her, Zuko felt that neither of these things would be able to cure the hurt that was inside her so he simply held her close in silence, allowing her to let all her trapped sadness overflow.

Back in the Crystal Catacombs of Ba Sing Se, now it seemed so long ago, he had said that they had one thing in common and that was having lost both their mothers to the Fire Nation. Fortunately for him, his mother had only been banished and he was still able to reunite with her after six years of her absence from his life. But for Katara, there would be no joyful reunion. Her mother was gone forever and there was nothing anyone could do about that.

Katara was glad to have someone to hold her and comfort her in that dark time. It had been a very long time since she had dreamed of her mother's death and its coming at such an eventful period of her life was quite debilitating. Here she was, traveling and preparing to help Aang restore peace and balance to the world and yet she was besieged with so much emotional turbulence. She held on tightly to Zuko as she sobbed, so thankful for his presence and his support. It was one of her weakest moments and yet he did not make her feel helpless. He said nothing, no empty words of comfort, and only showed her his deepest and most profound sympathies.

He too knew of the pain of losing a mother. But since he had been recently reunited with the one he had thought dead for six years, she somehow couldn't help but envy him, envy what she would never be able to have. But Katara also knew that it was cruel to begrudge Zuko something so beautiful and precious. She knew that he loved his mother as deeply as she had loved hers and that, considering all the pain he had endured in his life, he deserved to have such happiness. She had come to love Ursa herself, and that gentle lady had treated her just as warmly as a daughter. Katara knew that despite her mother's death, she still had much to be thankful for, much to live for. And there was still so much that she had to do. Deep in her heart, the waterbender knew that her mother would have wanted her to be happy. And so after a few more minutes of quiet mourning Katara gently pulled away from Zuko's grasp and looked at him gratefully.

Zuko looked back at her with concern in his eyes but she squeezed his hand, as if telling him that she was all right again. He closed his eyes and heaved a sigh of relief. So much emotion had been expended that night that nearly had any words to say to the other. Instead, Katara gently leaned against Zuko as he lay down and both fell into a deep slumber in each other's arms.

--

"Okay, spill, Jet," Toph prodded the Freedom Fighter as they made their way to Ba Sing Se.

Beside them, Melisande rolled her eyes and smiled warmly at them. But despite her seeming indifference, she too was curious to hear the young man's story. She had heard much about him from both her nephew and the waterbender and she found herself quite eager to make the acquaintance. She was glad to have him as part of the intensified rebel forces and to have acquired so many fighters to help liberate the walled city from the clutches of her sadistic niece. But she didn't want to dwell on what was to come right then and there. Spirits knew they had made more than enough plans and like Toph, Melisande too was getting impatient for some action. But for now, she amused herself by listening to Jet's tale of survival.

"Longshot and Smellerbee were able to help me escape from Lake Laogai after you guys had gone ahead," Jet explained, jerking his head to his two other companions who merely nodded at the mention of their names, "luckily, something had happened to distract the Dai Li. I think I vaguely remember hearing that the Avatar's bison had escaped."

"Yeah, Appa saved us too," Toph said with fond reminiscence of the sky-bison blowing away so many Dai Li agents, "so then what happened?"

"Well, naturally, we all went into hiding," Jet continued, "and fortunately for us, Long Feng and the Dai Li were too focused on the Avatar's infiltration of Lake Laogai and its dangerous implications that they didn't really bother seeking us out. By that strange twist of fate, we were off the hook."

"But you were seriously injured," Toph said with concern, "how were you able to recover?"

"Well, I guess we got lucky again," Jet said with a smile, "we were taken in by a kind family in the lower ring. And the young daughter, Jin, was very accommodating and helpful. It was she who nursed me back to health until eventually, I was as strong as I ever was."

"A young girl, huh?" Melisande interrupted with a playful wink at the young Freedom Fighter. He did not quite know how to react but couldn't hold back a slight flush. Toph grinned widely and mischievously at him while Longshot said nothing and Smellerbee rolled her eyes.

"She was very nice," he said simply before continuing, "and I am eternally grateful to her and her family for saving my life. After that we were able to leave the city secretly and re-form another group of Freedom Fighters. This time however, we decided to be more covert in our operations, and more discreet. We began spying on the Fire Nation as well as trying to help everyone who needed us without inflicting violence on the innocent. Believe me, I've learned my lesson about that very well."

"So I hear," Melisande said knowingly much to Toph's puzzlement. Jet was curious to as to how Katara was related to this regal firebender.

"Just, how exactly do you know Katara, Lady Melisande?" he asked as politely as he could.

"Another long story," the lady replied, "and one which we certainly do not have time for. Suffice to say that she spent a little sojourn in my solitary island and I was able to learn so much from her."

Jet left it at that, deciding that it was unwise to pry. Besides, he trusted that Melisande was telling the truth. He was indeed a very changed person now. A few months earlier he would have sworn that he would rather die than fight alongside a firebender. But he realized that such close-mindedness was one of the things which made the war last as long as it did. And through his subsequent travels, he had also learned that even people from his most hated race could be kind and good just as people from the Earth Kingdom (like Long Feng) could be manipulative and cruel.

So now, Jet was entering a new phase in his fight for freedom and justice but it was one that he had never quite expected. And he found it to be some trick of destiny that he was now, once again, on his way to Ba Sing Se, the site of so many significant events in his life recently. But this time, he was not going there as a refugee. No, things had changed, the tables had turned.

As the rebel troops marched towards the Earth Kingdom fortress, they knew that they would be up against a formidable foe but they were unafraid. They knew that the people of Ba Sing Se needed them and that they would do everything in their power to liberate the hapless victims trapped within the confines of the city.

Jet was looking forward to proving his mettle once more and fighting to free the oppressed. He knew that his life had been spared so that he would be able to help more people and he intended to do just that.

Toph knew their adversary well and she was more than eager to have a rematch with the dread princess of the Fire Nation. With every step, she felt tingled with excitement and anticipation. It had been a while since she had last had a really challenging battle on her own, without help from Sugar Queen or Twinkletoes. This was bound to be a treat for her.

And as for Melisande, she had not seen her niece for eight years and was quite looking forward to some sort of reunion, although hardly a happy one. Nevertheless, she wanted to see just how much Azula had inherited from her and just how she could turn this knowledge to her advantage.

As they marched, they knew well that all would be decided in Ba Sing Se.

--

"Of course those cabbages are fresh, miss," the merchant argued adamantly. Nevertheless, Katara looked skeptical about making the purchase.

The latest town that they had only just arrived in was a small and rather isolated one, surrounded by dark but sparse woods and mountains. There were hardly any people, even in the market, and everything seemed dead some how. Despite having stayed in the place for only a few hours, she and Zuko had already decided that there was not much to be done here. No one seemed to be oppressed or suffering from anything. The whole place just seemed lifeless and dull and they had decided to leave as soon as Katara replenished their food supply.

As she looked through the limited array of vegetables in the small stall, a man walked up beside her and asked the vendor for some fresh tomatoes. There was nothing remarkable about this stranger. He was an ordinary old man, and he looked just about as bored and tired as the other residents of the town. Katara paid him little heed and was about to walk away when she noticed the man's eyes.

It was then that she stopped in her tracks, her blue eyes widening with painful recognition.

She could never forget _those _eyes.

--

_And that's a wrap. Yes, yes, I know, I resurrected Jet but hey, he's a big asset to the rebel forces. He's going to kick some ass. And since Sokka said in the "Ember Island Players" that it wasn't really clear if Jet died, I'm assuming that he didn't. _

_And sorry, I simply couldn't resist at least mentioning cabbages. It was just a golden opportunity. And I needed to lighten the mood slightly since the next chapters will be full of heavy stuff._

_There are still so many things to tackle before the next chapter so I hope all of you guys are still interested. Thank you for your support! :) I'm happy enough to receive half of the reviews I got for "Sojourn in Solitude" considering my timing. :)_

_By the way, we've reached the half-way point of the story. From here on, only twelve chapters to go. I need a life. But I will update soon, you can be sure of that!_


	14. Part Two, Chapter 5

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender, among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

"It doesn't look like good news," Sokka announced grimly, as he unrolled the small scroll latched to the newly arrived messenger hawk.

"Must you always be this optimistic, Sokka?" Suki said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. Nevertheless, the Kyoshi Warrior still felt slightly uneasy. She shivered slightly under the chill of the North Pole air and wondered what would come from the seemingly urgent message.

She had been the first to spot the messenger hawk from a distance and she had quickly pointed it out to Sokka as they had been taking a leisurely stroll around the North Pole after another productive session of planning with the chiefs and other Water Tribe council members. The bird's arrival was not wholly unexpected since they had been receiving messages from different parts of the world for several days now, correspondences telling them of the progress of the allied forces as well as the responses of the Fire Lord. But it had been a while since they last heard from Melisande and her troops, as well as from Zuko and Katara, or even Iroh. But considering how busy they all were perfecting their techniques and readying themselves for the final battle, they didn't really have time to send updates to their other companions. But now that they had just received one, there seemed an air of apprehension between the two fighters.

Sokka quickly scanned the coded message before muttering to himself, decoding it and dictating the contents to Suki who was already taking note of every word. Once they had successfully deciphered the message, they both looked at each other gravely. Suki nodded at Sokka and they quickly made their way back to Chief Arnook's session hall to give the council the news.

As Sokka and Suki re-entered the hall, Hakoda looked up from the charts he had been studying and asked them what they were doing back so early from their leisurely stroll. Seeing the serious looks on their two faces, he decided not to tease the couple and instead asked what the matter was. Without another word, Sokka handed his father the decoded message and Hakoda quickly scanned it as well. Chief Arnook and some of the other elders had just re-entered the hall as well and they now looked with concern at their fellow chieftain.

Hakoda's brow had wrinkled and his eyes had narrowed as he re-read the news. Meanwhile, Sokka and Suki had briefly explained the situation to the newly arrived leaders. Arnook and the others looked towards Hakoda for his reaction.

"Ba Sing Se has been conquered," Hakoda said simply, "by Princess Azula of the Fire Nation."

Gasps of shock and incredulity filled the room as the Water Tribe officials muttered their aghast reactions to one another, each looking more agitated than the next. Only the two chieftains, Sokka, and Suki were able to remain calm in the face of the grim news. Noticing their leaders' composure, the other men looked slightly ashamed of themselves for their high strung reactions so they became silent and instead, looked to their leaders for guidance and advice on what course of action they were to take.

"We must not panic," Chief Arnook counseled his people with dignity and calm reassurance, "at this new and unexpected development. We must take every detail of the situation into context. Princess Azula may have taken Ba Sing Se but we also know that she has declared herself no longer a supporter of her father, the Fire Lord."

"She barely escaped being punished for attempting to assassinate him," Sokka elaborated, "and now, she has turned against him. In a weird way, she's fighting slightly on our side, against the Fire Lord, but for vastly different reasons."

"She is ruthless and cunning," Suki described Azula, having had experience with the princess before, "and she will do everything it takes, sacrificing all those who stand in her way, to get what she wants."

"But her occupation of the walled city has been well anticipated," Hakoda added to the council, "before her arrival, the Earth King had been successfully evacuated and he is currently being held in a safe and undisclosed area until he can be reinstated on his throne."

"Did they not establish a resistance to defend the city from the Fire Nation princess?" asked one of the ministers.

"They did indeed form a resistance, led by our very own Haru," Sokka answered, reading parts of the message, "however they were greatly outnumbered and after a battle of a few days, they had no choice but to surrender."

"This is bad news, indeed," commented another minister, addressing Arnook, "and how are we going to act?"

Before answering this, Chief Arnook glanced at Hakoda out of respect and the Southern Water Tribe chief nodded at him.

"We shall send a small but capable contingent of waterbenders to help retake the city," the Northern chief replied, "but we are by no means, not going to exhaust all our fighters for this battle. There will be a greater one to come, the one we have all been preparing so hard for."

"But what good will even the best waterbenders be against the multitudes of Princess Azula's army and the Dai Li?" asked another minister.

"The reason we don't need to send too many troops to help," Sokka answered, "is that there are already some forces who are on their way to free Ba Sing Se. The Lady Melisande, Toph, Jet, and a great army of powerful rebel fighters are now marching towards the walled city with the intention of retaking it."

"And as soon as they liberate Haru and the resistance," Suki added, "they will have a greater advantage against Azula."

"The Lady Melisande is a formidable firebender and an even, if not greater match, to the princess prodigy," Hakoda said, praising Melisande's fighting prowess. Sokka supported his father in this as well.

Suki could not help but watch slightly amusedly as Sokka's father spoke of the rebel leader. Although there was clearly a great respect between the lady firebender and the chief of the Southern Water Tribe, Suki couldn't help but sense something more to it. But then she shook her head, admonishing herself for letting her imagination wander at such a crucial time.

To the rest of the ministers who still looked skeptical, Hakoda began to talk more of how many of the Fire Lord's own family members were currently aiding them greatly in their campaign against that vicious tyrant, including his wife, his brother, his son, and his sister-in-law.

"Chief Hakoda and I have placed our trust in these powerful firebenders fighting on our side," Chief Arnook concluded, "and there can be no doubt of their loyalty."

"Besides," Sokka said, as he read more from the message, "by this time, Zuko and Katara would have probably been informed of this as well. If nothing keeps them, I'm sure they're already on their way."

--

"Are you certain, absolutely certain?" Zuko had asked with concern and apprehension when Katara told him about the man in the market. She nodded her head vigorously.

"I could never forget those eyes," she said, her voice gaining a dark and bitter edge to it that Zuko was not quite comfortable with, "he's the man, I know it. He's the soldier, no the monster, who killed my mother."

Katara looked determine and when she was in this mood, there was absolutely no stopping her from doing what she set out to do. Not that Zuko had any intention of stopping her. Not that Zuko wanted to stop her; he knew just how important this was to her, seeking closure with her mother's murderer, even if it meant taking revenge on him. All this he understood perfectly, and in fact, he was more than willing to support.

What Zuko worried about the most was the terrible timing of this momentous incident. Sozin's comet was arriving soon and there was much ground that they still had to cover before that time. The sudden and unexpected appearance of the man who killed Katara's mother seemed to be some cruel twist of fate. It had to happen at the time when it was an utter inconvenience to them. And now, both of them realized why Katara had had that dream of her mother's death a couple of nights ago. Now, the way seemed perfectly clear to the young waterbender. But Zuko still had some doubts.

Zuko glanced at Katara, whose face was set, fists clenched, and completely unstoppable. The firebender sighed and knew that, inconvenient though it was, she needed to face this man now. Somehow, something told him that there would be no other opportunity. He put his hand on her shoulder encouragingly and nodded at her. She looked back at him gratefully and began to prepare herself for the confrontation.

"One thing, though," Zuko told her as Katara began dressing up into a black outfit, "before you face him, you need to at least get some rest. You're going to need all your energy for this."

"Don't you worry about my energy," she replied curtly, "I'm not the helpless little girl I was back then."

Zuko sighed at her obstinacy and once more, put a restraining hand on her shoulder.

"Just get some rest," he said with a stubbornness that matched hers, "you haven't been getting enough ever since you had that dream. Now that fate has delivered your mother's killer to you, you must gather all your strength before you face him. And don't worry about him escaping; I don't think he'll be leaving any time soon."

And after several more firm arguments, Zuko finally convinced Katara to go to sleep. And although she had adamantly expressed that she didn't need to rest, she had soon drifted into a deep and untroubled slumber. Zuko watched her until he was certain that she was truly in deep sleep before leaving her to her private dreams.

Then, while Katara rested, the young firebender took the opportunity to do a little investigation on the man Katara had met at the market. He asked the few villagers what little they knew about the scrawny, elderly, bearded fellow and most of them answered the same thing. His name was Yon Rha and he had been living at that remote village for the past four years. He had retired from being the leader of the Southern Raiders.

After having gathered the information, Zuko was impressed to have found out and confirmed that the scraggly looking old man from the market was indeed who Katara thought he was. When she had told him about the day her mother died, Zuko found that Katara remembered a lot of details about the Fire Nation raiders who had attacked the South Pole. He had wanted then, to have some idea about the people who had destroyed Katara's life but he had never imagined that they would be encountering the same person who did so in their travels to help the people and destroy the Fire Lord's various outposts and weapons stores.

"Sea ravens," Katara had told him as the memories flashed by her, "I clearly remember that their banners had sea ravens on them. How could I ever forget that sight?"

"The symbol of the Southern Raiders," Zuko had thought to himself at the time but he didn't dare mention it to her for fear of her coming up with some wild idea to go finding the Southern Raiders and imposing retribution on them for killing her mother. He understood her struggle but he didn't want her to get into more trouble that she needed to.

But it seemed like all his scruples and attempts to prevent her from knowing backfired on him anyway for here was her mother's killer, here in this remote and isolated village filled with dull, empty people. And having asked people about Yon Rha, Zuko was already certain of the man's identity. The young firebender returned to their camp to see, much to his relief, Katara still peacefully sleeping soundly. He sighed once more as he looked at her face, a serious expression on it even in her sleep. Destiny was indeed a funny thing.

When Katara finally awoke, she quickly looked around for Zuko. She then found him dressing up into an all-black outfit, his Blue Spirit disguise except without the distinctive mask. In an instant she realized his intention and simply looked at him with an expression of mingled both gratitude and wonder. The firebender smiled back at her earnestly.

"You didn't think I'd let you do this all alone, did you?" Zuko told Katara.

--

The lights had dimmed in the vast throne room and the solitary figure of the Fire Lord was the only living organism within that chamber. He had sent all his courtiers and officials away so that he alone could relish his secret success.

Fire Lord Ozai looked smugly at his two hands which, with a slight motion, not only burst into the customary wild flames but also emitted a greenish, ethereal glow, the power of the Avatar.

At the sight of his newly acquired power, the Fire Lord could not suppress a loud cackle of utter satisfaction. No one, not even the last airbender, could stop him now. He had done what none of his other predecessors had been able to. He had defied destiny and forged his own fate.

All the ancient writings that stated that only the Avatar had the ability to unleash the vast giant in that mysterious and hidden cave were untrue. After all, he had succeeded in doing so, without being the Avatar. According to the dozens of scrolls taken from the Great Knowledge Spirit Wan Shi Tong's library before it disappeared beneath the desert, this strange and mystic cave had been hidden for centuries under the cloak of the unfathomable powers of the Spirit World. And it had only resurfaced this year because it had been foretold that in the time of Avatar's greatest need, the giant would be freed.

Fire Lord Ozai was well aware that when it came to ancient legends and prophecies, one should never take them literally. He knew that the "giant" talked about constantly in the ancient myths was a metaphor for some form of magnificent power that, when harnessed completely, would render the bearer absolutely invulnerable. Not only would acquiring this power greatly (and conveniently) serve his purpose, but it would also prevent the Avatar from fulfilling his destiny of defeating the Fire Lord and ending the war.

Fire Lord Ozai had read about this "giant" before when his older brother had shown him the hidden archives in the Dragon Bone Catacombs. At first the young Fire Lord had paid little attention to what he had considered then as useless myths and baseless stories. But after the Avatar had reappeared unexpectedly and subsequently disappeared mysteriously after defeating Azula in Ba Sing Se, Fire Lord Ozai figured that there might be some truth in the ancient myths and legends after all. And with the Avatar's disappearance, the Fire Lord was convinced that the young airbender was finding a way to harness the power that was rightfully his. And of course, Ozai could never let that happen, not when he was so close to fulfilling his forefather's dream of conquering the world with the power of Sozin's comet.

So Ozai had taken the key and had sent his soldiers to scour the Earth Kingdom for the Mystic Cave. They had found it eventually and he had been confident that he had outwitted the Avatar then. The original plan was to harness the giant's power a few days before the comet arrived. However, certain unexpected events had caused the Fire Lord to accelerate his plans. The fraudulent invasion on the eclipse, the various prison breaks, weapon raids, and Azula's betrayal had spurred him to acquire that power as soon as possible.

It had been easier than he had imagined, a lot easier. The Fire Lord had even taken a captive waterbender and an earthbender in case he needed to bend the other elements. To fake airbending, he had taken a machine stolen from the Northern Air Temple, a device the Mechanist had made for the Fire Nation when the inventor had still been under their control, to simulate the basic movements of airbending, which he had done by studying scrolls of that extinct race.

However, none of that had been necessary. For some unexplained reason, the moment he had placed the key into the lock on the giant's chains, the huge statue, beginning with its eyes, had glowed magnificently and the entire cave had been enveloped in a great, unfathomable light. The Fire Lord, despite his awe, had stood his ground and waited for whatever instructions were to come from the spirit. In a deep, cavernous voice, the giant only asked one question which Ozai found unbelievably easy.

"Are you ready to face your destiny?" the glowing being had asked of the Fire Lord.

"Yes," replied Ozai with conviction and determination, and without a moment's hesitation.

"Then, your destiny is upon you," the giant said finally, with all the blinding lights swirling around Ozai's solitary figure and entering his body.

The man felt the surge of power and strength as he had been surrounded by the strange light, and when it was over, the giant had turned back into a lifeless statue, and the men who had accompanied the Fire Lord quivered with fear at various corners of the cave. Testing his new power, Ozai discovered, much to his delight and sinister satisfaction, that _he _could now bend all four elements.

Now, mulling everything over in his dark throne room, the Fire Lord felt quite certain that nothing could ever stand in the way of his victory, not Azula's pathetic little attempt at defying him by taking Ba Sing Se, not the combined forces of the Water Tribes and Earth Kingdom, not the rebels, and certainly not the Avatar.

--

As he walked home in the rain, carrying a basket of fresh tomatoes for his mother (although he would argue that the tomatoes from his garden were far more superior to this common fare), Yon Rha couldn't shake off the feeling that he was being followed. At every turn in the road, he would turn sharply, his eyes carefully surveying the surroundings. But every time he did so, he saw nothing and no one. There was only the lonely country road, the howling of the wind, some bushes and the rustling of leaves from the few trees that grew around the area. He would sigh and walk on, thinking that he was probably getting more paranoid as he grew older.

But then again, for so many years, he had been the leader of the Southern Raiders. And even in retirement, his military instincts would not fail him. He couldn't help but sense that he was being followed, ever since he left the village market.

Finally, he could no longer stand it. The old man quickly whirled around dropping his basket of vegetables and blasting great balls of fire at the nearby tree.

"Nobody sneaks up on me without getting burned," he yelled. But no one had been there.

With a sigh, he picked up his basket and began to walk back when he tripped on a string that he had not noticed there before. As Yon Rha fell face flat on the ground, he had to quickly jump back as a ball of fire was directed at him. Crawling away from where the flame had scorched the land, the old man looked up at his attacker. It was a young man, dressed in all black, a black mask covering the lower half of his face but even with this, Yon Rha noticed that the boy had a scar that covered one half of his face. The youth was in a firebending stance, aiming his fist at Yon Rha, daring him to strike back.

"We weren't behind the bush," the mysterious attacker said, and then taking another step towards Yon Rha, "and I wouldn't try firebending again."

The old man, shivering with fear, raised a hand to shield himself from the stranger and begged him for mercy.

"Whoever you are," Yon Rha pleaded, "take my money, take whatever you want, I'll cooperate."

It was then that Yon Rha saw another black-clad figure approach him. This time, it was a young girl with long, brown hair. She had an angry expression on her face as she approached him, taking off her mask and showing her entire face.

"Do you know who I am?" she asked Yon Rha fiercely. Still shivering, the old man stared at her intently, sensing something vaguely familiar about her.

"No," he answered hesitantly, "I'm not sure."

"Oh, you better remember me like your life depends on it," she threatened, her voice growing louder and angrier, "why don't you take a closer look?"

He stared at her longer, jogging his memory and hoping that it would serve him in this time of great need. And then, he saw it, those eyes, he remembered those eyes very well, although they did not have the same expression of anger and hatred as they did now. Back then, there was only fear.

"Yes," Yon Rha replied with recognition, "yes, I remember you now, you're the little Water Tribe Girl."

She was the daughter of the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe, the woman he had killed on that mission to rid the world of all waterbenders. And somehow, she had found him.

"Tell me," the girl demanded him, "why did you kill my mother? What was the information that she promised to give you?"

The young firebender who was with her never let his guard down and there was no escaping from this situation. Yon Rha knew that he had no choice but to comply and hopefully, his life would be spared.

"I asked her the identity of the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe," he answered feebly.

At this, the two assailants' eyes widened with shock but neither of them was willing to let him go. He cowered with fear.

"And what did she tell you?" the girl asked him bitterly.

"She confessed to being the last waterbender herself," he replied, still shaking and nervous, not noticing the pained expression that came over the girl's face, "and asked me to take her prisoner. But I wasn't taking any prisoners that day."

Finishing the story, the old man gulped and remained silent, scared and apprehensive of the girl's reaction. She had turned away from him and a shadow came over her face. Her companion still had his eyes on Yon Rha, preventing escape.

"She lied to you," the girl said after a few moments, a dark hatred clouding her blue eyes, "she was protecting the last waterbender."

"What?" Yon Rha said incredulously, shocked at having been outwitted for so long, "who?"

And with a fierce glare at him and taking a sudden fighting stance, the girl shouted, "ME!"

And as she began to manipulate the droplets of rain, forming a great dome of water over their heads, Yon Rha realized just how fatal his mistake had been. And she was now coming to exact the revenge that she truly deserve. He raised his arms in defense as he saw a rain of frozen darts fly towards him. And yet, just as he braced himself for the impact, nothing happened. Yon Rha looked up carefully and saw the frozen blades suspended in mid-air, floating menacingly above him. But with a swift and fluid movement, the waterbender let them go, drenching the old man in water.

"I did a bad thing," Yon Rha told her, "I know I did, and you deserve revenge. So why don't you take my mother, that would be fair."

Not to mention a great load off his back but he knew that now was hardly the time for jest. However, the girl looked away from him gravely, her companion staring at her with surprise.

"I've always wondered what kind of person could do such a thing," she said, talking more to herself than to him, "but now that I see you, I think that I understand. There's just…nothing inside of you, nothing at all. You're pathetic and sad and empty."

"Please, spare me," the old man begged, on his knees, pathetically.

"But as much as I hate you," she said, her lips quivering, her eyes closing, "I just can't do it."

And then, she just turned around and walked away. The young scarred firebender glared at him before doing the same, leaving Yon Rha alone and miserable in the middle of the rain-drenched road.

--

Not a word was exchanged between them as they continued their journey. Zuko knew that Katara needed time and space to take in all that had just happened and he let her be but was always ready to go to her side the moment she needed him.

He knew that he would never understand the whole depth of her emotions upon facing her mother's killer but he knew that she still hated that pathetic, spineless fool whom they had faced. He himself was enraged at the circumstances in which Katara's mother had been killed. It was an outrage for that idiot to have simply believed Kya's words without even asking for any proof. And Zuko now felt so struck by the fact that, like him, Katara's mother had sacrificed herself to save her child. And in that, he could relate. He knew the guilt and pain of knowing that you had been saved at such a great cost. But for Katara, the cost had been far dearer.

For the next few days, they traveled non-stop, never talking about the incident and simply doing their duties perfunctorily. Zuko knew that Katara would talk about it only when she was ready and he didn't pressure her in any way.

And then, finally, at sunset of the seventh day, as they rested in a nearby hill side, Zuko setting camp while Katara stared quietly at the horizon, she spoke to him.

"I wanted to do it," she said simply, and Zuko looked up from what he was doing, "I wanted to take out all my anger at him but, I couldn't. At one point, I even wanted to use, to use..bloodbending."

She said the last word with a shudder, as if it had been some sort of curse. The eerie memory of Hama's face was too much to bear. Katara couldn't believe that her hatred had almost driven her to do something so extremely cruel.

Zuko looked at her sympathetically but said nothing, waiting for her to continue as he listened attentively.

"Even if I still hate him and will never ever forgive him for what he had done," Katara proceeded, "I didn't want to drown in my own hatred, to let his crime pull me down, to sink into those dark depths which have no escape or redemption."

Zuko approached her carefully, not saying a word.

"I don't know if it was because I was too weak to do it," she continued, "or if it was because I was strong enough not to."

"You did what you must," Zuko told her simply, placing a hand on her shoulder, "and I would have been proud of any decision you made."

She looked back at him gratefully, the tears that she had kept inside finally spilling over from her deep-blue eyes. Katara threw her arms around him in a tight embrace, weeping and burying her face on his shoulders and Zuko returned the hug, comforting her as best as he could.

--

A few days later, a familiar scaly sight met them and they were surprised to see the winged serpent Sicca arrive with a message from Melisande. Zuko quickly unrolled the scroll that was tied to the snake's body and decoded the message. His eyes narrowed as he read.

"What news?" Katara asked with apprehension.

"There's been a change of plans," Zuko replied, "we must make haste to Ba Sing Se."

--

_And there, Katara's issue has been resolved, somewhat. I'm sorry again for having to somehow integrate the events of "The Southern Raiders" into this chapter. I just felt that it was very important for Katara to have some closure without Aang's philosophical and cheesy lectures on forgiveness and healing. I really needed her to have that confrontation and I hope you weren't so bored or unsatisfied with it.  
_

_Like one of the previous chapters, this has a thematic element to it. This is a chapter of darkness, within Katara's soul, within Ozai's soul, and of the darkness of the bad news that came to the Water Tribe._

_But there is one more great battle to be won before the comet arrives. Stay tuned._

_Thank you._


	15. Part Two, Chapter 6

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender" – among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

"You called for me, Princess," he said with a bow of respect that wasn't as forced as it used to be.

He knelt down in the large Earth Kingdom throne room. It was a vast chamber so it seemed strange that only two of them were in it. The rest of the Dai Li were busy patrolling the grounds and keeping everything in order while Mai and Ty Lee were supervising them and making sure that nothing went wrong. So now, while things were all going according to plan, Princess Azula had some down time. And never being one to love idleness, she decided to pass the time by toying with her favorite earthbender.

She lazily beckoned him to come closer which he did with mingled fear and fascination. But though the Fire Nation princess looked bored and uninterested in his presence, she was actually sizing him up and throwing him off guard as to her true, twisted purpose for ordering him. He walked towards her and made another respectful bow.

"Tell me, earthbender," she began, not looking at him but instead focusing her attention on her long, polished fingernails, as if they were more important than him, "why did you decide to betray your comrades and join me?"

Haru flinched at the word "betray" and hesitated to answer, trying to build up enough bitterness and resentment.

"Because I had no choice," he replied harshly, "you threatened to kill my father and the innocent people here in Ba Sing Se and…"

"Your noble instincts told you that it was your duty to save them," she interrupted him sarcastically.

Haru closed his mouth and looked at the floor silently. The princess laughed with amusement at his reaction. While looking down, Haru clenched his fists tightly in embarrassment but he dared not say anything else.

"Don't make the mistake," Azula told him, "of taking me for a fool."

Haru gulped and muttered the necessary apologies. The princess gave him a side ward glance and continued her strange interrogation.

"I knew your reasons of course," she continued, "but are you quite sure that those are still your motives at present?"

"Yes, I am sure, princess," Haru replied quickly although he couldn't suppress a slight gulp at the question, a reaction which did not escape Azula's notice. He said nothing else. She got up from the throne and began circling him like a vulture.

Taunting and baffling Haru was a constant source of amusement for Azula. Not only was she fond of subordinating him and occasionally insulting him by pointing out the unattractiveness of his facial hair, but she also relished the fact that despite all his protests, he seemed to have formed a slight attachment to her. The moment she had first set eyes on the earthbender on the battlefield, she knew that she would have an interesting time torturing him. It was always fun to control the actions of selfless persons and to force them to go against what is already second nature to them. But never did she expect that he would be this amusing to toy with.

He was fascinated and intrigued by her, of that she was certain, and yet, he feared her as well, and that was just natural. But despite her being one of his greatest enemies, he no longer seemed to antagonize her as he used to. He no longer seemed as reluctant to carry out any of her orders, and his submission was a constant source of her entertainment. Recently, she had sensed a certain hesitation in his hatred of her and she was determined to milk it for what it was worth. He was too amusing a subject for her to torment whenever she had the opportunity.

All the while that Princess Azula silently walked around him, Haru was mustering all the courage he had to remain calm and unperturbed. It was a nerve-wracking experience to have Azula so close to him. He was filled with a frenzied amalgamation of feelings from anger to fear to fascination to anxiety. He was well aware that she knew what kind of agitation she was causing him and that she was doing so deliberately, like she had done on so many occasions. She knew that he had formed a slight, strange partiality, or even (dare he say it) loyalty to her. Like the Dai Li, he had been caught in her trap of fatal inspiration and though he tried hard to convince himself that he would never ever willfully serve her, he found that he sometimes did. And this brought him countless sleepless nights, tossing and turning, and questioning his own allegiances. Nothing had ever caused so great a struggle in him, and he saw that she knew his suffering and was intentionally making him squirm.

"That's funny," Azula said finally, still in that lazy drawl of a voice and yet with her eyes as sharp as ever, "I must have only imagined it. But somehow, these past days, I was getting the feeling that I could actually trust you."

She faced the throne, her back towards Haru. But though she didn't see his face, she knew very well that he had looked up and his eyes had widened. And that was the effect she had been going for. So she continued her melodramatic little monologue, trying to act as slighted and offended as possible.

"But of course, that is not possible," she proceeded, in a hurt voice, "I'm the princess of the Fire Nation, born of the race you were raised to hate. And I've taken your precious little city under my control, so you believe me to be evil personified. I have my reasons for whatever I do but no one really bothers to think about that. And I suppose you're no different. You're just serving me because there are lives at stake. I guess I was disillusioned for a moment when I thought you were unlike everyone else. But now I realize that you'll never see me as anything but a monster."

She paused, letting the speech sink in, and continued looking away from the bowed earthbender. And Azula tried hard to suppress the smirk that was threatening to spread over her face. She forced herself to focus. It would not do to erase the impact of her little performance. Nevertheless, while her back was turned to him, she couldn't suppress a slight shaking from her attempt to control her laughter.

However, this slight trembling had the desired effect on Haru. While Azula made that speech, the earthbender had looked up at her in incredulity, wondering if she could be truly sincere about what she was saying. He was skeptical but the sliver of doubt that had hung over him disappeared when he saw her tremble. To his surprise, Haru actually believed Princess Azula to be suppressing sobs instead of snickers. And he felt truly sorry for her.

She then stood perfectly still, waiting for his reaction, which she was very eager to hear. For Haru's part, he found himself in quite a quandary, questioning his own principles. Though it seemed like a very perverted way of thinking, he discovered that he really did feel a certain sympathy towards the ruthless firebender, and much to his shock, he felt the desire to comfort and reassure her. This revelation opened the door to even greater ones, which were extremely difficult to admit. In some strange, twisted way, Haru found himself _liking _Princess Azula despite all her crimes and cruelty. He gulped, not knowing how to deal with such contradictory emotions.

"I was right about you, of course," Azula said calculatedly after a few minutes of awkward silence, "you would betray me the first chance you got."

Haru frowned at this and somehow, unable to control himself, blurted out, "I would not betray you, Princess."

Azula turned to him with genuine surprise on her face. She raised an eyebrow skeptically and took a few steps closer to the earthbender and bowed down to be level with him.

"Liar," she told him, her face inches from his.

Haru couldn't help but gulp at the closeness and quickly looked away, not sure of what to say in reply. Azula rolled her eyes and walked back to the throne.

"You must be a fool if you thought I expected that much of you," she said after an amused chuckle, "I only recruited you because I was feeling merciful. That might soon change. Don't make the mistake of believing yourself to be indispensable to me."

Haru remained where he was, his fists clenching and his brow knotting as he pondered all that had just happened. Leaning back on the throne, Azula noticed that a strange uneasiness had come over the young earthbender. Secretly, she chuckled with satisfaction at the disturbed effect she had had on him. This game had at least not been such a waste of time.

"You're dismissed," she said in a bored tone that nevertheless had an edge to it, "now, get out of my sight."

Haru rose and after another curt bow, turned to leave the throne room, bothered by what had just transpired. Azula's toying had been anticipated, but what he had not expected was his own reaction. As he walked out of the vast chamber, Haru wondered just how truthful he was about not betraying the Fire Nation princess.

--

Patrolling the city was a tedious task, especially since no one really dared attack it now that Ba Sing Se was under Azula's control. So the best fighters weren't really needed to fulfill such a mundane task. And if there was anything that irked Mai, it was boring jobs.

She had left Ty Lee in charge of everything since so far, it had been an annoyingly uneventful night. No raids, ambushes, surprise attacks, nothing. Just silence and boredom.

True, she had nothing better to do back in her chamber, but then again, at least she had some time to herself instead of having to deal with the acrobat's constant cheerfulness and Azula's constant manipulation. She looked like she wasn't affected by anything when in fact, Mai was easily irritated and really cherished her privacy.

The raven-haired blade specialist sighed as she took a seat in front of the mirror at her dresser and glanced at her reflection. She wasn't a vain girl and didn't care too much about adornments to enhance her appearance. Mai didn't believe herself (like many girls had the tendency to do) to be extraordinarily beautiful but she contented herself with the idea that she was not plain. Having nothing better to do, the pale girl combed her hair idly, her eyes not really focused on the mirror.

"Mai."

In an instant, all her instincts were alerted and the fighter had already readied some of her blades to throw in the direction of that whisper. She narrowed her eyes at her shuttered window and approached it carefully. Again, the voice whispered her name.

"Mai."

And despite her preparation, there was something about that voice that seemed oddly, eerily familiar.

"But that's impossible," Mai told herself, "he's dead."

But just when she was about to launch a volley of deadly knives, her window was opened and in jumped a figure clad all in black, whose face made her stop in her tracks.

"Zuko?"

And contrary to Mai's previous assessment, this was certainly not an uneventful night.

--

"I agree with him, it is always wise to wait for the opportune moment."

"At this point in time, we cannot make any rash decisions. The fate of the walled city lies in our hands."

"But do not underestimate the rebel forces. By now they would have both infiltrated the city as well as launched a preliminary attack."

And the elderly voices continued discussing the matter in hushed tones in their secret hideout. The members of the Order of the White Lotus sipped their excellent blend of ginseng and jasmine tea while waiting patiently for the right moment to strike. They received constant updates on the state of the city under the occupation of the Fire Nation princess and they had carefully planned their strategies for attack.

They had gathered there to liberate Ba Sing Se for a call had been sent out by Iroh of the Fire Nation, an old man who sat among other old but powerful men. Their age and wisdom, as well as their appreciation for the arts, distinguished them from all their peers and made the Order undoubtedly one of the most powerful secret organizations in the Four Nations.

All of those distinguished old gentlemen had known that it was only a matter of time before Ba Sing Se would be conquered by the Fire Nation, whether it was by Ozai or Azula. The continuing freedom of that great fortress was one of the greatest threats against the Fire Nation's complete domination and the Fire Lord would have been hard pressed to conquer it even with the great power given to him by Sozin's comet. Besides, the less your enemies were, the better.

Therefore, the converse of that statement also held true and it was important that the free peoples of the Earth Kingdom reclaim their great city before the Fire Lord unleashed hell. And that was the purpose the order had gathered, after generations of hiding and secretly playing pai sho together despite their racial differences.

"And what of the Avatar?" asked one member. Everyone, except the strange King of Omashu, turned to Iroh of the Fire Nation. Bumi, unsurprisingly, did not seem very concerned. As was his habit, he seemed to know more about the matter than any of them did but, as was his habit, he did not reveal anything.

"He is on another important journey of his own," Iroh answered, "one that will determine the odds of his impending confrontation with Fire Lord Ozai. He knows his duty and he is determined to fulfill his destiny."

"In his temporary absence, we must make sure that everything goes smoothly," Pakku commented with conviction.

The others nodded in agreement. Someone brought out some of the latest updates they received from their associates.

"Lady Melisande and her rebel forces will deal the first blow," the Fire Nation deserted Jeong Jeong re-explained to the Order.

"And we shall wait for the moment that Princess Azula underestimates her aunt's forces," the great swordmaster Piandao said knowingly, "from what I hear, she has a tendency to do that."

"My nephew, Prince Zuko, will be proceeding there as well," Iroh added, "and he has been well prepared to face his crazy sister."

"He will be accompanied, I hear, by my waterbending student, no, granddaughter, Katara," old Master Pakku said with pride.

"Be that as it may," the grinning king of Omashu concluded, "we can't let these youngsters have all the fun, can we?"

--

"How can this be possible?" Mai repeated with incredulity, "everyone thought you were dead."

"So I guess the plan worked a lot better than we hoped it to," Zuko replied gently to his childhood friend.

"You mean to say that this was all just part of your plans?" Mai asked with a frown. She didn't quite enjoy such manipulative schemes. After all, she had been part of more than enough deceits in Azula's company.

"I'm sorry that it worried you so much, Mai," Zuko apologized sincerely. Mai folded her arms and said nothing but, knowing her well, Zuko could see that she was more relieved than angry at him.

"But why have you come here?" the dark-haired girl asked with concern, "if Azula finds you..."

"She'll barbecue me, I know, I know," Zuko cut her off, "but I'm not alone. And I know what I'm doing. My companions and I have come to liberate Ba Sing Se."

"Why are you telling me this?" Mai asked skeptically, "you know that I'm working for Azula."

"Because I trust you, Mai," Zuko answered seriously, causing a light blush to come to the pale girl's face, "and I know that you don't approve of what my sister has been doing."

"But what can I possibly do against Azula?" Mai protested, "you know what she's capable of."

Zuko looked at her gravely and replied, "Both of us know what she's capable of. But I trust you and that's why, as a friend, I'm asking you this huge favor. Please help us, Mai. Help us defeat Azula."

Mai's eyes widened at the request and she couldn't help but frown at first. Seeing that the girl was deep in thought, Zuko waited patiently. He knew that it was no easy decision.

"I know how risky this request is for you," he continued, "and I'll understand if you decline it."

The raven-haired girl said nothing, considering the options very carefully. Mai had never been one to make any rash decisions, in this respect, she was almost as calculating as Azula. She knew what was at stake here. But as she turned her gaze to Zuko's solitary form, she couldn't help but remember just how glad she was that he was alive and how different he was from his sister. Then, she considered that maybe for once, she should side with the better sibling.

"I've never been one for heroics," Mai began, "but I guess there's a first time for everything."

And with the smile of gratitude Zuko gave her, Mai certainly did not regret making that decision. They made arrangements for their little conspiracy. She would not openly betray Azula, instead, she would continue to act as an ally, all the while helping the rebels infiltrate the city or escape from the Dai Li. She and Zuko agreed on a certain system of communication whereby she would relay messages about Azula's strategies and other plans. As they discussed their actions in hushed tones, Mai suggested that she might let Ty Lee in on it as well.

"I know that she's just as sick of Azula's actions as I am, even more so," Mai explained, "she was always the softie."

"That would be even better," Zuko replied, "we're going to need to put all our minds together if we want to defeat her completely. My sister is not an ordinary adversary."

So, after a few more discussions and confirmations of certain details, Zuko got ready to leave the room by the same way he entered. But before he covered his face with the black cloth, he turned once again to face his childhood friend who was looking back at him with an unreadable expression in her eyes. Without a moment's hesitation, Zuko gave Mai a warm hug.

"Thank you," he whispered before putting on his mask and disappearing into the night.

And Mai simply stood completely, watching where Zuko had exited, and feeling gladder about her decision.

--

As he walked along the deserted courtyard, back to his sleeping quarters, Haru got the sense that he was being followed. He quickly whirled around, in a defensive earthbending stance, ready to strike at whoever dared face him. But before he had the opportunity a water whip had gagged him and another had taken control of his two arms. He felt himself being dragged into a shadowy corner of the courtyard.

He turned to see his assaulter and saw a familiar figure, clad in all black. He recognized those startling blue eyes. The stranger pulled the cloth from the bottom half of her face and whispered to him.

"We need to talk," Katara said to the surprised Haru.

--

Perhaps Mai had been right after all, Ty Lee thought as she stood with some Dai Li agents on the top of the outer wall of Ba Sing Se. It was an uneventful night.

The circus acrobat sighed as she made her rounds. There was nobody beyond the walls, she felt rather sure of that after spending hours just staring into the dark, empty horizon. So now, she turned her attention to the interior of Ba Sing Se, silently but carefully observing the rows of houses. No one but the Dai Li agents and a mercenary or two were out at night because it was after curfew and people here had learned (the hard way) never to question higher authority.

Ty Lee frowned as she looked at the dimly-lit houses filling up the city, no doubt sheltering many frightened families. Whenever she walked through Ba Sing Se during the day, she found, much to her disappointment, that it was no longer the vibrant city that it used to be when she, Mai, and Azula had first come there. A large shadow had been cast upon the Earth Kingdom fortress. Now, people hung their heads (akin to despair) as they went about their daily lives and conversations were always held in hushed tones. No one laughed anymore, there were no shows, no parties, no entertainment, in this dejected city.

Such melancholy circumstances greatly depressed the former circus performer. Ty Lee was not accustomed to seeing so many gloomy faces. As an entertainer, it had been her job to bring smiles and laughter to her audience and being faced with a sea of sadness was simply intolerable to her. But she could not deviate from the duties Azula had ordered her to fulfill. The princess would allow no street performances or amusement of any kind which would raise the people's morale. And though implementing such a cruel policy was counterintuitive to Ty Lee, she had no choice but to comply. Nevertheless, the acrobat never took pleasure in executing such duties.

Even now, as she stood on the wall, looking down at the slumbering city, Ty Lee felt her heart break for these people, Azula's slaves and captives, pawns in the princess' ruthless struggle for power and control. What moved her more was the fact that she could identify with the people somewhat. Azula was just using her, in the same way the princess was using Mai, Haru, the Dai Li, and everyone else around her, with fear.

And as much as she longed to break free of those invisible chains that bound her to the power-hungry princess, Ty Lee could think of no alternative. The rebels would never trust her, and it was unlikely that the Avatar would let her join his group. Besides, it was not in Ty Lee's nature to betray anyone, even if Azula was such a cruel and harsh person, Ty Lee was still loyal to her. But as the acrobat took another sweeping glance at the despair and sorrow she had been involved in inflicting, she wondered just how far her loyalty would go.

She had no opportunity to ponder further as one of the Dai Li agents quickly called her attention to a strange sight coming from beyond the wall. He pointed her to a certain spot where several other agents had gathered, wondering what to make of the sight. Ty Lee squinted as well, trying to distinguish what was coming. The circus performer's eyes widened with sudden realization and she screamed for everyone to duck.

"We're under attack!" she cried.

Using their lightning-sharp instincts, in the nick of time, the Dai Li were able to erect a large wall of earth, extending the one they were standing on, to protect themselves from what seemed to be a rain of flaming arrows. Unfortunately for them, they were not able to block all the arrows and some had landed on target and were beginning to do some damage. Before anyone could react, another wave of flying torches hit their mark but the Dai Li couldn't fight back because they couldn't see their attackers. So, helplessly, they found that they could do little to defend the wall against the scalding, steel tempest.

--

The man scurried along the corridor as fast as his feet could take him. It was of utmost importance that the news would reach the princess as soon as possible. He stopped to catch his breath as he stood in front of the vast wooden doors of the royal bedchamber. The messenger hesitated.

It may have been an urgent message but was it really worth losing his life if the princess was displeased at being roused from her slumber. The trembling spy was not quite sure if this was the fate he wished for himself. But he steeled himself to maintain his composure. He had gone through another encounter just as nerve-wracking as this before, and he had (thankfully) survived. After all, Princess Azula should have anticipated this by now and it should not come as much of a surprise to her.

Nevertheless, despite all his attempts to remain calm, to be rational and reasonable, the fear she inspired in him was just too great. It paralyzed the poor courtier and kept him rooted to the spot, trembling, and sweating, a mass of nerves.

Why, he secretly railed to the heavens, why was he always cursed with the fate of being the bearer of ill-news?

But, much to the old courtier's shock, he heard the familiar, menacing voice from within the room.

"Don't just stand there," he heard Azula say, "come in and deliver whatever message you have right now."

Gulping, the courtier did as he was told and carefully opened the wide wooden doors. Contrary to his expectation, Princess Azula was not in her sleeping garments, and she was not even lying on her bed.

Instead, the firebending prodigy stood at her dresser, her back to him, dressed in full armor. She was carefully a strand of hair that had gone out of place but he could see that she was eager to hear the news but was restraining her excitement.

"Well?" she asked, still not facing him. The man quickly bowed in reverence before answering.

"We're under attack, my princess," he told her, "the enemy has sent volleys of flaming arrows on the wall and the sentinels and we have reports that some earthbenders have been collapsing the outer layer."

Princess Azula said nothing for a few moments, pondering what she had just heard.

"What's the damage?" she asked briskly, narrowing her golden eyes.

"We're still trying to make sense of it all," the messenger replied, rather awkwardly, "but it seems like the enemy forces have infiltrated the city and many of our men are currently busy holding them off."

"And do you know who we're up against?" Azula asked, "are they the rebels, the Avatar's friends, or my father's army?"

"We believe, it is the rebels attacking us, princess," the courtier replied immediately.

"Well, that's not unexpected at least," Azula replied, still twisting the stubborn strand of hair, "I was wondering what took them so long to show themselves."

The messenger waited uneasily for the princess made a decision. Finally, after a few excruciatingly silent moments, Azula turned to face him and marched towards the door. Still not taking a glance at the quivering servant, she gave him orders.

"Call for Mai, Ty Lee, and Haru, as well as assemble the remaining elite Dai Li agents," she commanded, "we'll make those rebels regret the day that they chose to go against me."

--

_And thus the battle for Ba Sing Se has begun._

_I hope this didn't bore you and I hope to be able to do justice to the battles to follow. Thank you so much for all your support._

_Aang's journey will be emphasized more in Part Three. So will Zuko's and his family's destiny be decided. But for now, Ba Sing Se must be reclaimed._

_For those who want clarifications about Haru and Azula's connection, I won't give any spoilers. Suffice to say that Haru's feelings are stronger than he suspects. Azula, on the other hand, loves no one._

_Anyway, you'll see as the story progresses (and as I lose more sleep writing chapters). Hope you enjoyed this chapter and thank you for all your reviews and support!_


	16. Part Two, Chapter 7

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender, among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

The young Avatar looked up in awe at the majestic statue of the giant. The stone eyes did not return his adoring gaze, of course, but Aang could sense that somehow, his presence there had not gone unnoticed by the spiritual forces at work in that mysterious cavern.

It had not been that difficult to evade the guards. After all, they weren't really taking their jobs seriously. Never mind that the Fire Lord would probably roast them alive if he knew. He wasn't going back to that place any time soon. Their leader had gotten what he wanted from the cave and there wasn't really any reason for him to return. However, Ozai was not so careless as to leave the sacred place so open to anyone. No one must know the source of his newfound power because he believed it to be his and his alone. And if there was any chance that the Avatar might reclaim what was rightly his, which after carefully re-reading of the available scrolls and documents, the Fire Lord knew was highly unlikely. Nevertheless, he wanted to have safeguards. It was by taking numerous precautionary measures that he was able to rule successfully. And he did not intend to be outwitted by anyone ever again.

Unbeknownst to the illustrious leader, his soldiers didn't quite share the same conviction. Seeing their current task as rather pointless and not to mention boring, the Fire Nation sentries at the ancient cave decided to take this opportunity to rest their tired bodies. They knew that sooner or later they would all be recalled to the war front and that this was the best time for them to recuperate and recover from all the pains and aches they had acquired during the battles. So they were lax, and intentionally so. After all, what was the point of guarding a pretty much worthless cave against a highly unlikely attack or infiltration from someone who was feared dead. These soldiers were practical and realistic and such characteristics greatly served Aang's purpose.

Most of the guards were stationed outside the cave until the main entrance but not beyond. There was no one guarding the great statue of the shackled giant. Although they were not as attuned to spiritual presences as Aang was, they did sense an intangible and incomprehensible force that surrounded that strange statue and none of the guards dared stay near it for extended periods of time. It was just too eerie.

But Aang was used to such invisible forces, and in fact, he had grown so accustomed to them that he was almost always in harmony with them when he encountered these powers. As he stood in front of the huge statue, staring up at the bearded and unfathomably familiar face, he felt himself rejuvenated with energy he never thought the statue possessed. Aang smiled. He had been right, after all. Even if the Fire Lord had taken the power sealed in the statue for centuries, there were still some things that only the Avatar could discover from this cavernous sanctuary.

Fortunately for Aang, he was able to find a shadowy spot behind one of the giant's vast legs, conveniently hiding his small form as he sat Indian style and took a deep breath. Finding composure and putting himself in the proper mindset, he closed his eyes, brought his hands together in such a way that the arrow tattoos pointed at each other. Taking another deep breath and allowing his spirit to mesh with the forces all around him, his tattoos glowed and the Avatar had once more taken a trip to the Spirit World.

When Aang's spirit opened his eyes, he saw, much to his surprise, that he was not in the murky forest of the Spirit World but still inside the cave, behind one of the giant's legs. Curious and puzzled, the spirit of the airbender was about to do some exploring around the cave when something moved. Watching with wide eyes, Aang saw the leg of the giant budge. And then, slowly but surely, the entire statue seemed to be coming alive, dragging itself out of its earthy roots and pulling against the shackles that bound it. And much to his surprise, Aang saw that the giant was still imprisoned. The key had not yet liberated him.

The airbender quickly ran to face the great being and to express his joy at finally meeting someone who might be able to clear things up. Those large, stone, and now Aang noticed, sad eyes looked down at the Avatar in silence with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Greetings, great sir," Aang began, unable to suppress his usual exuberance, "my name is Aang and I'm the Avatar. I believe you have been expecting me."

The dark brown eyes continued staring intently at the small figure below him and the giant man still made no response. Aang looked a little doubtful. Instead of saying something, the living statue raised his fettered arms towards the Avatar, as if asking Aang to unlock them.

"I'm sorry," Aang told the giant sadly, "but I don't have the key. I don't know how I'm going to get you out of those chains."

The giant continued holding his hands out to the very confused Avatar. Aang shook his head and once more tried to explain the circumstances to the stoic and unresponding figure. The airbender almost felt frustrated with the huge man. If the giant had not started shaking his chains, Aang would have thought that he was still talking to a statue.

"You don't understand," Aang attempted to explain, "I may be the Avatar but without the key, I cannot free you. Believe me, I really want to and I also want to know what help you can give me. But for now, I really don't know how else to get you out of those chains. Can you tell me what I must do?"

Aang had not really expected any response and was therefore not surprised when the giant simply continued to shake the chains at the young airbender. Aang was about to make antoher reply when a deep, rumbling voice spoke.

"Everything," said the giant in a voice that seemed to come from the depths of the earth itself, echoing across the cave making him sound even grander and more intimidating than he already was, "you must do everything."

Although he was glad to finally have elicited a response from the statue, Aang was only more confused. "Everything" seemed a rather tough task. There was no way, of course, he could do "everything."

Aang resisted the urge to slap his face in frustration and confusion.

"I'm sorry," the airbender told the giant, "but I really don't understand."

"Everything," the giant repeated, "everything has been taken from me. My people, my honor, my life, my freedom. Only you can restore them to me. This is your duty. This is your destiny."

Aang's gray eyes widened at this revelation while his heart felt heavy at the additional burden of responsibility. So now he had to avenge the wrongdoings done to this enormous person? Again, the weight of the world's dependence on him caused the Avatar a temporary migraine and his spirit sunk to the ground, clutching his head. If the giant had noticed this change in his companion's countenance, he gave no indication of it. He simply continued to stand there, his amazing height almost reaching the ceiling of the vast cave. And he still had his chained hands outstretched, as if waiting patiently for deliverance.

"I know that it is my duty," Aang cried loudly, more to himself than to the stationary figure before him, "and I know that everyone is depending on me to defeat the Fire Lord to end the war and restore balance to the world. And I know that I am not alone. All my friends and allies are doing all they can to help me. But even with all this, I am still so confused. I know that Fire Lord Ozai is a tyrannical, cruel person, but is it really justified for me to take his life? Does anyone ever have that kind of moral ascendancy?"

Again, when Aang had not expected any response, the giant went and gave one.

"I cannot answer your questions," the humongous man said in a deep and low tone, causing Aang's shoulders to slunk in dejection, "that is not my place. I am meant to wait and to endure. But one is arriving who will guide you in the right direction."

Aang's face brightened at this revelation and he quickly looked around him for this guide. He half expected to see Roku or any of his other past lives standing behind him with encouraging smiles. But he saw no one. Then, for the first time, the giant did something other than stretch his chained arms. This time, he pointed behind Aang, his brown eyes fixed on a specific spot.

Seeing this, the Avatar whirled around and saw someone he had not expected. The Avatar's expression was incredulous as the bluish, insubstantial form of Ursa walked towards him.

--

For several days, the battles raged at Ba Sing Se. A grander struggle had never been seen before in the history of the walled fortress city. All the fighters were equals and the leaders of both camps were both excellent strategists. Every skirmish ended with one side winning over the other and the roles would always be reversed in the next. The rebels pitted against Azula's army fought bravely and skillfully, exhibiting skills and prowess that matched those of their opponents.

Although constantly exhilarated by the superior level of fighting (a lot better than she was accustomed to), she was getting more and more frustrated at not having the upper hand in the battle (as she was used to). At most, both teams would be stuck in an annoying deadlock wherein neither side was winning against the other. However, the Fire Nation Princess still believed that she had home court advantage. For as long as she was able to drive them out of the city, victory would be a certainty. But that condition was not one easily met.

So many of the rebel forces had been able to enter the city right under her nose. Even with the sentries posted at every corner of the outer wall as well as Ty Lee and Mai supervising them, the enemies had made their way in successfully. And while the Dai Li agents were able to imprison some of these rebels (mostly those who couldn't bend), more and more seemed to come attacking from the outside. Unfortunately for Azula, the great outer wall of the "Impenetrable City" had already been damaged in several places due to her enemies' siege engines, cannons, and flaming arrows.

The archers of her opponents were especially sos skilled and accurate that Azula believed that they had a contingent of Yu Yan archers. But as to how those "peasant" rebel forces were able to recruit elite Fire Nation fighters was beyond her comprehension. She had her own contingent of archers but they were not Yu Yan. And to her knowledge, the Yu Yan had yet to defect or declare disloyalty to the Fire Lord.

Then, as soon the Dai Li would imprison the rebels they captured, these prisoners would always escape immediately, sometimes even imprisoning their captors in the same cells. Whenever this happened, every Dai Li agent feared for his life and the punishment that the Princess would mete on him. And so, much to her chagrin, the weaker and more cowardly of the Dai Li agents would run away before she could deal them any damage for their incompetence. Even though there weren't many of these spineless buffoons, Azula was still concerned to see her forces slightly diminishing while her enemies always escaped unscathed from any hostile encounter. The Fire Princess grew angrier and angrier at the marginal successes her foes were gaining so she decided to take matters into her own hands.

Once more forming an elite and capable team (this time including Haru, somehow Azula felt that she needed an earthbender as well as a traitor to throw off the rebels), the firebending prodigy began participating more actively in the fight. Not that she hadn't been doing so before but she didn't really want to get her hands dirty with filthy, pathetic peasants' blood.

But Azula had noticed something significantly different about this group of rebel fighters. With narrowed eyes, she saw that her opponents were not the usual, uneducated, low-class, non-bending rabble that she was usually able to crush effortlessly in the past. No, this time, a slightly more "sophisticated" group was challenging her, consisting of master benders, good fighters, and not mere peasants. She was well aware that some of the Avatar's friends would be present but she had not expected such capable opponents.

Nevertheless, her opponents' relatively superiority to those she had faced in the past, did not bother her. On the contrary, all the more was Azula determined to defeat them. But this would not be a quick fight, nor an easy one.

For, whenever Azula herself would attempt to burn (or strike with lightning) some of the regular rebels, one of their leaders would come forth to challenge her and defend their subordinates. Azula constantly scoffed at their selflessness. She did not see the point of defending those who were stupid enough to throw themselves in the face of danger and she enjoyed taunting these leaders with her derisive comments about their organization. Yet despite her distaste for their motives, Azula always loved a good fight.

She was particularly fond of going up against the small, blind earthbender who had been the Avatar's teacher. The girl was small but hardly harmless. It was always an exhilarating battle when these two were involved.

Toph enjoyed their fights as well since she was able to exhibit more creative and dynamic fighting techniques with the firebending princess. Both being masters at their elements, they frequently had very exciting duels with one another, so powerful that sometimes soldiers from both sides would pause in their fighting to watch the two leaders in action.

And yet, no matter how many times she faced the different powerful members of the rebels, Azula felt that she had yet to fight their mastermind. For some odd reason, the princess observed, the greatest authority among the rebels had not yet shown himself or herself. And Azula was determined to be acquainted with this slightly impressive leader. She'd never admit, of course, that whoever this leader was intimidated her in the least. Nevertheless, Azula was curious. She had some suspects in mind already but she also knew that those people would not be half as creative or enigmatic. The Avatar was straightforward enough, his friends were the same, and though Long Feng might be inclined to such mystery and secrecy, the former leader of the Dai Li would not have been able to gather enough manpower. The blind earthbender was capable enough but Azula had noticed that though the girl had exuded authority and confidence, the earthbending master still seemed to subject herself (voluntarily, since Azula had also noticed that the earthbender was not one likely to be ordered around) to a higher power. Azula frowned as she thought about it. She hated not being in the know. Who was this rebel leader?

--

"This is so like her," Zuko ranted, clutching his head with exasperation, "so utterly incomprehensible."

Katara shook her head lightly while Toph said nothing.

The three benders were discussing the battles of the past week while hiding out in Zuko and Iroh's old apartment in the lower ring. The simple residence served as their makeshift headquarters. After all, Azula was still unaware of how well some of her enemies had infiltrated the city. She saw camps beyond the wall and small gatherings inside the city here and there but they were mostly in the upper ring. The haughty princess of the Fire Nation had no regard for those below her position and power in life. They were simply not worth her time.

It was here in this humble apartment that Toph had secretly visited several days ago, after an especially intense duel with Azula, interrupted by Mai when she informed Azula of major damage on one side of the wall. Though neither wanted to quit an unfinished fight, Azula was urged to retreat and Toph feigned exhaustion and retreated as well. But this was all part of the plan of course.

Zuko and Katara welcomed the blind earthbender warmly. All three were delighted to see each other again. Zuko and Katara had been participating in the battle surreptitiously, by destroying Azula's defense from the inside. They had used their bending on several occasions however they did not reveal their identities. After spending a few days catching up during a temporary ceasefire, Toph now relayed the message Melisande had for her nephew.

"Your aunt doesn't want you to face Azula here in Ba Sing Se," Toph had told Zuko decisively, her young face serious and firm, "your sister must not know that you are alive. And that means playing a very careful and secret role in Azula's defeat."

"That's understandable," Katara added, "after all, you didn't work so hard to fake your death only to refute that claim so early. It's good that Azula doesn't know you're alive yet."

"I can see Aunt Melisande's reasons for asking this and I know I must follow her instructions," Zuko replied reluctantly, "but I just can't idly raid some Dai Li headquarters while everyone else does the fighting?"

"Are you trying to say I can't take your sister on?" Toph teased.

"I'm just saying," Zuko answered, "that all this waiting is making me restless."

"I get it," Toph answered, "but for your aunt's elaborate plan to work, we have to stick to it. And don't look at me, I am just as clueless as you are about that woman's intentions."

Zuko and Katara looked at each other knowingly and nodded.

"Well," Katara said with a sigh, "she was always quite cryptic."

"After traveling with her," Toph told them, "I finally know how you guys feel. She can be so unnecessarily mysterious and yet her decisions have turned out rather well."

Although Zuko knew she was right, he was still not completely satisfied with his aunt's instructions. He folded his arms and leaned against the wall in an almost sulky manner.

"Speaking of mysterious," Katara asked the hellbender as a thought crossed her mind, "did she really tell you nothing clear about why she doesn't want to see Zuko even if we're just in the city."

Zuko looked at the earthbender expectantly. His aunt's constant refusal to meet them was troubling him greatly. The city had yet to be retaken and yet she was asking him to lay low. His aunt had agreed to let Katara join her but not him. Reinforcements would surely come but the siege could end if she gave the order. But it was impossible to read Melisande's mind.

Again, Toph shook her head, almost in annoyance.

"I told you," the blind earthbender replied, "all she said was that it isn't the time for reunions."

Zuko and Katara rolled their eyes and sighed.

"She hasn't changed at all," Katara was the one who commented this time, "just as enigmatic as ever."

--

A few days of fighting had passed and yet the dispute had yet to be settled. The rebels were retaliating well and Princess Azula was losing her patience with her own men, who didn't seem to be making any progress against the enemies. She loathed the fact that she had to do everything herself, as she threw fire blasts at the ranks of the rebels. Her shots were blocked by walls of earth being raised by the rebel earth benders. Soon, the princess had resorted to shooting lightning in order to penetrate the enemies lines. And surely, the rebels were retreating, trying to go as far away from the firebending prodigy as possible.

Finally, Azula smirked with satisfaction as she watched them flee from her fury.

"Yes, that's it," she mocked them, "run, you filthy peasants. Fly! You cannot escape me! You should have thought twice before you challenged a far superior opponent."

The Dai Li agents quivered in fear as their princess walked towards them, a disgusted look on her face. She was clearly not pleased with their performance today.

"And as for you," she said menacingly, her golden eyes smoldering, "the next time that your incompetence compels me to fight filth far below my rank and position, your lives will be forfeit. This is no warning. This is a threat."

But before any of the trembling earth benders could dare answer Azula, a female voice was heard from the enemy's troops.

"So you want to fight someone of your rank and position, Princess Azula."

A tall, hooded figure emerged from the surprised rebel troops. But they let her pass through reverently and she soon stood meters away from Azula's forces. The princess turned to face the stranger with a strange and excited curiosity. So here was the leader she had been wanting to meet.

"No longer hiding like a coward, I see," the princess replied, striding towards the hooded lady.

"I had my reasons," the lady replied, her face obscured by the hood of her cloak, "but cowardice was not one of them. And just because you've never seen me doesn't mean I wasn't here fighting all along."

Azula laughed derisively at the woman who made no reaction whatsoever.

"And what makes you think I'd be interested to fight you, stranger?" Azula replied acidly, "you're too afraid to even show your face."

"Oh, you'll know me when you see me," the lady replied slyly, "and I am offering you a convenient proposition. Whoever wins this fight, wins Ba Sing Se."

"You seem rather confident about your success," Azula said with calculation, pretending to ponder on the proposition, "but what if I tell you I'm not interested?"

"Am I to take it that the firebending prodigy Azula is turning down an Agni Kai with a firebending master," the lady mocked Azula.

"Ah, so that is your little claim," Azula said with amusement, "very well. I accept your challenge, if only out of pure curiosity. But I fight on nobody's terms."

"We'll see about that," the lady replied before bowing slightly and returning to her troops. Azula turned as well as ordered the Dai Li to prepare an arena for the duel. To the earth benders' puzzlement, the princess was smiling sadistically.

As she followed Azula to the arena, Mai turned her face to the retreating rebel troops and narrowed her eyes at the figure of the cloaked woman. What were they up to?

--

Everyone had gathered around the large arena quickly set up by the Dai Li in the center of Ba Sing Se's upper ring. Both Azula's forces and the rebels were apprehensive about the imminent fight, knowing that the results of the siege would be decided by this fateful fight. And there was great anticipation, of course, for a match of true equals, two firebending masters showcasing their deadly skills in a traditional but hardly sportsmanlike battle.

The supporters had assembled on the opposite sides of their champions. On one end of the wide fighting ground, knelt Princess Azula, in full Fire Nation regalia, the traditional cloak on her shoulders. Mai, Ty Lee, and Haru, as well as the army of Dai Li and mercenaries, had gathered around her.

"You seem even more confident than usual," Mai commented.

Azula grinned. "I don't know," the princess replied, "maybe I just have a really good feeling about this."

"But you've been fighting without rest for the past few days," Haru protested, "you're in hardly the perfect condition for a.."

He was interrupted by a nudge from Ty Lee, who quickly covered his mouth, only to remove her hand from disgust at touching the mustache.

Azula glared at him. "Are you underestimating me, peasant?" she spat at Haru.

His eyes widened, then he closed them and shook his head and asked for forgiveness. She gave a curt nod.

"Don't be too hard on him, Azula," Ty Lee said, "he was just being concerned about your welfare."

"Well, I don't need any of his _concern," _Azula answered contemptuously, "all of you have been doing an abysmal job in defeating these good-for-nothing rebels so I'm going to show you how to get things done. And when this is over, I want you to crush them all. Am I understood?"

All of them nodded back at the princess.

On the other side of the arena, Melisande knelt down, still cloaked. Around her Jet, and Toph had arrived to express their support.

"You have done a very impressive job keeping our defenses strong," Melisande complimented the Freedom Fighter, "and I admire your work. But this time, I'm taking control of this feud. It is strictly a family matter."

Jet nodded and thanked her for her praise.

"We'll stand by your side, no matter what," he assured her. Melisande nodded.

"Your family really has issues," Toph told the firebender playfully, "and I know that you've been looking forward to this fight for quite some time. You wouldn't be content just planning strategies and shooting arrows. You had to go for something a little more theatrical."

"You know me well, Toph," Melisande replied with a smile.

"Just don't mess up, okay?" Toph warned her.

Melisande smiled again. "I promise I won't," she replied.

Finally, the signal was given and both fighters rose from their positions, capes and cloaks falling from their shoulders. Azula turned to eagerly face her opponent, her hands in position. But the moment the princess caught sight of her opponent's face, she was dumbstruck and still, her golden eyes wide in shock.

"It can't be," she muttered under her breath.

Taking advantage of Azula's temporary surprise, Melisande made the first move, twirling her arms and lashing a large fire whip at her niece. Recovering just in time to evade the blow, Azula retaliated with lightning-fast reflexes with a series of blue fire blasts. Melisande quickly broke and parted the fire blasts, releasing a volley of fire balls of her own.

"I don't know how you escaped prison, _mother,_" Azula screamed, "but even after everything, you would still fight your own daughter."

With the last sentence, Azula carefully aimed and threw a line of fire towards Melisande. The other bender caught the fire whip and used it against her niece, while shaking her head in disappointment.

"You are pitiful, Azula," Melisande said, kicking fire blasts at Azula.

Azula broke the blows, sliding her feet and sending flaming earth towards her opponent.

"What are you talking about?" she screamed back.

"I mean you don't even remember how your mother really looks like, silly child," Melisande shouted back, turning around and shooting fire balls in rapid succession at Azula.

Azula evaded them and retaliated with larger fire blasts, enraged at being treated by a child.

"Stop being so condescending, mother," she screamed, moving her arms in a complicated move and directing more fire at Melisande, "but I don't remember you being a firebending master."

Leaping into the air, propelled by jet flames, and thus evading Azula's attack, Melisande fired back and Azula blocked the blows.

"Exactly," was all Melisande said as she took a deep breath and started creating a wall of fire around her, shooting small but precise jets of fire at her niece.

Expertly diverting the jets through a series of graceful and smooth movements, Azula realized her mistake. And if hadn't been a serious situation, she would have laughed at herself louder than she did.

Crossing her arms and exhibiting another complex firebending technique, Azula sent twists of fire towards her opponent. With some interesting foot work, Melisande extinguished the fire in time to listen to her niece cackle maniacally while sending another attack of fire balls.

"Aunt Melisande, huh?" the younger firebender said with realization, kicking fire into her aunt's face. Melisande, with a wave of her hand, broke the flames and got into a defensive stance.

"I see that I had to jog your memory a bit," Melisande said, raising her hands and twisting them, forming spirals of fire and throwing the flames like a discus towards her niece, "such a pity that someone so young should already have memory gap."

"So sorry, _aunt,_" Azula replied, pronouncing the last word with disdain, extinguishing the discus and manipulating another large fire whip and lashing it at Melisande, "it can be quite a challenge to remember someone I thought was long dead."

At this, Azula spun around, throwing bright blue fire blasts at every rotation. Melisande mirrored her niece's movements, cutting through each blast with her expert fingers, and throwing darts of fire in Azula's direction. Azula dodged them and noticed that her aunt had not taken the bait.

"Just how were you able to escape the Isle of Azufre?" Azula asked, kicking flames at her aunt.

With well-placed kicks, Melisande sliced Azula's flames and replied, "It's quite a long story. And I don't care to tell it to you."

There was another exchange of fire blasts between niece and aunt.

"It has been quite a while, hasn't it, niece?" Melisande said coolly, using traditional foot work to kick fire towards Azula. Slicing through the blasts with her hands, Azula said nothing, focusing on the interesting fight.

"I can see that your firebending has considerably progressed," Melisande praised her niece, even as they traded blows, "if you weren't so sadistic and twisted, I would say that I am proud to be your aunt. However, as things are, I am not. As much as I love your firebending, I hate your attitude."

And with that last statement, Melisande launched herself in the air, just missing Azula's latest fire-laden punch, and landed behind her niece. The older firebender was about to aim a fire jet to Azula's head when Azula whirled around and blocked her aunt's hand with her own, her golden eyes ablaze, and her teeth clenched in rage.

"Who do you think you are, anyway?" Azula shouted at Melisande as they both released fires in a great explosion. The impact threw them both backwards by several meters but being experienced and poised, neither of them tripped or lost her balance.

"You are nothing but a banished traitor," Azula spat, moving her hands around and gathering a large amount of fire, "just like my pathetic late brother, Zuzu."

Somewhere in the crowd, conspicuously watching the incredible Agni Kai, the aforementioned "late" brother gave a soft "hmmph..." at the mention of his hated nick name. Beside him, the waterbending master nudged an elbow at his side, silently reminding him to remain discreet. The other members of the crowd were now moving as close as they dared to get a better view of the fight. So Zuko and Katara took advantage of the flurry of movement to approach the rebels' side of the arena, where Toph, Jet, and the others were anxiously watching the fight as well.

It was an extremely close fight, with both firebenders well-matched. Both agile and powerful, they traded blows but never seemed to be injured by any. Their techniques were well-honed and their coordination was almost flawless. If an ignorant spectator came upon them, he or she might have believed the two women to be dancing. And what a deadly dance it was.

As Jet watched the fight, he was amazed at the grand show of firebending that was before him. A victim of the war, Jet had known the destruction that fire could cause and he had seen Fire Nation soldiers many times raze small villages to the ground. And yet, after all the years of seeing flames eat away at houses and buildings and cities, Jet had never before seen fire this powerful. He hated the cruel soldiers who had ruined his life and he had at first found it odd to be fighting along side a firebender. But now, as he watched Melisande in battle with her niece, he finally understood what it meant when fought fire with fire. And as far as he could tell, (though he was no expert in firebending), these two women could cause a lot more damage than a whole battalion of Fire Nation soldiers.

As Toph felt the vibrations of the two firebenders, even she was having a hard time judging who would be the victor of this intense duel. The odds were strange. Both were extremely gifted firebenders, who spent years practicing their techniques. It helped that both of them were firebending prodigies and were therefore much more advanced than even some firebending masters. Added to that was that they were both fiercely determined to win. Both women were cunning and scheming and could predict each other's movements. Melisande's advantage was that Azula had fought a lot harder that day, prior to their Agni Kai, while Melisande had rested and conditioned herself for this fight. Azula's advantage however, was her youth. Her body was more flexible, she was nimbler, and more agile than her older aunt. And as the fight lasted longer and longer, everyone was starting to wonder if it was possible for either firebender to defeat the other. Even Toph was perplexed and slightly nervous about the results.

Zuko and Katara were also slightly apprehensive about the Agni Kai. Although they were both aware of how good a firebender Melisande was, they also knew that she had her limitations. Back on the isle of Azufre, Zuko had managed to defeat her in an Agni Kai. Although her powers then had been severely diminished, there was still no guarantee that she might win against Azula, even if they were both firebending prodigies.

Then, while it was true that she had not been fighting as much as Azula earlier that _day, _Melisande had already been in the thick of the battle (in disguise, of course), as an archer and firebender. She had also been busy with other important matters such as formulating battle strategies and military plans as well as coordinating with the others. No doubt the stress of so much work would soon be taking its toll on her. But everyone who knew Melisande hoped that such adverse consequences would not manifest themselves at this particular time. Then again, destiny had a way of messing with people.

Mai and Ty Lee looked nervously at each other. This fight would decide a lot of things for them, as well. Not long after Zuko had requested Mai to help the rebels, she had recruited Ty Lee too. It was not difficult to convince Ty Lee that what Azula was doing was cruel and wrong. However, it had taken some time for Mai to convince the circus performer that Mai was not hallucinating about Zuko being alive. In fact, Zuko had had to show himself to Ty Lee before she had finally agreed to be in on the plan. It was through their information and careful control some of Azula's forces that the rebels were able to make it this far. But now, everything hung at the balance.

And now, everything they had worked so hard to achieve might be destroyed with one move too quick, or one reaction too slow. They were both convinced that Melisande was a capable firebender but also knowing Azula's ruthlessness and power so well, they knew that the princess would stop at nothing to be the victor. Mai and Ty lee knew what she was capable of, and hoped that she would not have enough energy to carry out her vicious intentions.

Haru was agitated as well. Katara had spoken to him to reassure him that his father was safe and that the rebels were doing everything they could to liberate the others. She had offered him escape as well, escape from this endless web of lies and entrapment. But he had chosen to remain in Azula's service, as a spy for the rebels. Nothing had changed in his convictions. He was still staunchly against the war. And yet...

As he watched the Agni Kai, his heart pounding in his chest, he was not certain if he would have the courage to go through with his eventual betrayal. Not now.

People were getting more and more restless and nervous as the fight progressed. There seemed no signs of its ending and yet both firebenders were clearly getting weaker. With wary glances, some people observed that sunset was approaching. Very soon, the two firebenders would experience a gradual but significant decrease in their powers. And seeing that the duel would soon be over, the soldiers from both sides of the arena, prepared themselves to fight. No one knew if the victor of the duel would keep her word about bequeathing Ba Sing Se. And the fight was too uncertain.

Pushed back by the impact of yet another explosion, Azula and Melisane struggled to keep their balance. Both women were panting heavily, their chests heaving, their pulses surging, and sweat pouring down their faces.

The arena was filled with scorched patches of earth, dying flames, pits, disturbed ground, and all manner of damage inflicted by both powerful benders. And slowly, Ba Sing Se was being enveloped in darkness. After another round of large fire blasts and fire balls, the two exhausted benders fell to their knees, hands holding the ground to keep them steady. But they didn't keep their eyes off the other.

"Surrender now, Azula," Melisande told her niece as she manipulated a ring of fire around Azula, "you have no other choice."

Azula struggled to break out of the ring but her aunt's powers remained steady. Looking frantically around her, Azula saw that there was indeed no escape. Melisande's narrowed gaze remained on her niece, even as her hands were already trembling from the effort of retaining the barrier. Azula sensed this weakening even as she shook slightly from the fatigue.

Slowly and carefully, Azula fell on her knees, and bowed before Melisande.

"Fine," she muttered, staring at the ground, her hands on the soil, "I know when I'm beaten. I surrender."

Cautiously, Melisande lowered her fingers, and was ready to fall to the ground as well.

Toph's eyes widened as her feet felt familiar vibrations. With realization, she ran out and yelled, "She's lying! Watch out!"

In an instant, Azula had stood up, and she was surrounded by bright, deadly lightning. With killer aim, she shot the lightning at Melisande who had just enough time to get into the proper stance to redirect it, shooting it back at her niece.

Not expecting her aunt to be able to do that, Azula was unprepared for the impact and simply watched wide-eyed as the lightning flew towards her. And, at the last moment, its impact was blocked by a large wall of earth.

Haru had just enough time to catch Azula's collapsed form.

--

"Everyone seems to be distracted by some big event," said the elderly voice. Soon, his other companions stood beside him, as he looked down from one damaged part of the outer wall.

"Isn't it just the perfect time to make our entrance?" another man said.

"I'm supposing everything went according to plan," a voice whispered.

"I don't doubt it," replied yet another man, "Melisande is very reliable. I'm sure she executed the plan to the smallest detail"

"Can we stop talking and just get down to business?" a slightly higher pitched voice said, "we have a city to re-conquer."

The others nodded in agreement. The cold night wind blew against the white cloaks that the five figures were sporting, as the stood on top of the outer wall.

Unheralded, the Old Masters had finally arrived.

--

_That was a long one. Whew. I just lost another few hours of sleep._

_At any rate, I hope that it didn't bore or annoy you in any way. It was a big challenge to write and I hope you liked it._

_For the record, Ursa is not dead. She just has a strong connection to the Spirit World. She can do astral projection. More on that in the next part of the story. For now, our focus is on Ba Sing Se._

_And by the way, I would just like to thank mT, Tea, and JC for reviewing the last chapter. It is hard to acknowledge your support since you give anonymous reviews, so thank you very much for your words of encouragement. Oh, and Tea, Mai will not die. And sorry if you don't like Haru here, he does come out rather pathetic. Oops. How to remedy that? Hmm._

_And thank you as well to everyone who continues to read and review this story until now!_

_I mentioned before that I'm not good at fight scenes so forgive the Agni Kai. I tried to make it as good as I could._

_There is more to come. Trust me._

_Thank you for reading, and please do leave a review._


	17. Part Two, Chapter 8

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender" – among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

It was over.

There was no use denying that Princess Azula no longer controlled the great walled city of Ba Sing Se. With the arrival of the Old Masters from the Order of the White Lotus, the fight was more than decided. Clearly, Azula and her forces stood no chance against these amazing reinforcements and all had been settled (in a rather grandiose way) when the Old Masters exhibited their prowess.

But victory had been inevitable.

After constant failure and harsh admonitions from Azula, the Dai Li already had a low morale as of the time of the fateful Agni Kai. Some of them even dared to consider surrendering and yet they knew the price of such a betrayal. Most of the elite earthbenders simply felt torn – between continuing a deadly fight or contemplating going to the other side and risking Azula's wrath. An outsider would think that perhaps betrayal was in the Dai Li's blood. After all, they betrayed Long Feng before, and now they wanted to betray Azula.

However, such decisions cannot always be held against them. Trained and raised in a culture where loyalties were changeable and there was no real sense of nationality or allegiance, the habit of switching sides was already ingrained in them. Their loyalty was fleeting and fickle and what had kept them in Azula's service for so long was their fear and awe of the princess. But after the Agni Kai, and the arrival of the Old Masters, her influence on them had begun to wane. And while they maintained impressive defenses against the rebels, and remained hidden and protected in many secret hideaways (which Toph did not have the time to seek out since she was busy and enjoying herself in battle), the Dai Li were simply biding their time, waiting for the right moment to trade sides. But they needed to be very careful about such a decision. Princess Azula may have been outnumbered by master benders and slightly weakened by the constant fighting and the Agni Kai, but she was still in no way weak in mind. She still had her wits about her and continued to plot ways of destroying her enemies. Escape was a last resort to her because she could not stand being denied Ba Sing Se again. And so the Dai Li had to maintain masks of loyalty to the Fire Nation Princess if they wanted to get out of this struggle with their lives.

Meanwhile, the rebels had won victory after victory ever since the Old Masters arrived. And this wasn't just because they had reinforcements in the form of the greatest benders and fighters of their time. There was a renewed vigor in the rebels' fighting because, the inverse of the Dai Li's situation, the rebels' morale had been significantly raised after Melisande's triumph at the Agni Kai. They had known that Azula was not likely going to agree to the terms that Melisande had set but nevertheless, they had been encouraged by their leader's prowess in the duel. They realized that with leaders like Melisande, Toph, and Jet fighting by their side, they all stood a chance of victory against Azula's nervous and disillusioned troops. And some of these rebel soldiers even noticed help coming from a pair of masked benders, one a waterbender and the other a firebender, both of unparalleled skills. So with such positive thoughts in mind, they were able to hold their own (quite well) against Azula's army after the Agni Kai, even before they were aware of the Old Masters' arrival. And of course, when people saw the Old Masters, every doubt and inhibition was completely obliterated.

Toph had sensed it first, of course. All through the continuing fight against Azula and her forces (Haru still included), she had suddenly felt the shifting vibrations. Ejecting a Dai Li agent with a jutting wall of earth, Toph ran over to where Jet had just kicked an enemy soldier in the gut.

"Why are we surrounded by a bunch of old people all of a sudden?" she commented to the perplexed Freedom Fighter.

"What are you talking about?" Jet had asked as he slashed around with his hooked blades.

"Exactly what I said," Toph replied, sending another soldier flying, "a bunch of old guys just arrived in Ba Sing Se."

"And they're right on schedule," Melisande cried, moving closer to the puzzled earthbender and Freedom fighter. The firebender, though still tired from the battle, had a delighted smile on her face. The fighting temporarily came to a halt when everyone noticed several figures making their presence known.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Melisande announced with a dramatic gesture, pointing at the new arrivals, "may I present to you, the Old Masters!"

And they took the enemy by storm.

Azula's soldiers didn't know what hit them when the master swordsman Piandao slashed his way expertly through the ranks. His superb skill, agility, and coordination left the less talented soldiers in awe, and in defeat. With fluid and calculated movements, his sword parted the ranks quickly and effortlessly until some of the soldiers, so intimidated by his prowess, simply dropped their weapons and fled. Following his lead, Jet began to fight alongside the master, the bushy-haired swordsman was inspired and more energetic in his combat. Piandao was not well-acquainted with Jet's particular style of fighting but he found that the boy had a good sense of dynamism and improvisation. Maybe Jet's style still needed a little refining and Piandao contemplated taking him as a pupil after the battle was over. Only if Jet passed the preliminary interview, of course. The two leaders together were able to make short work of the non-bending ranks of their enemy's army.

On another side of the battlefield, two master firebenders were sending walls of flame around the frightened enemy soldiers. And yet, despite the magnitude and great size of the fires emitted by the two masters, these flames were still controlled enough not to do any major damage on the surrounding buildings and structures. The well-manipulated flames were simply to chase the enemy into surrendering or retreating. And all in all, it was a pretty effective strategy.

As the enemy fled, the two masters closed their eyes and took deep breaths, slowly placing their palms in the cool down position. And the flames died down.

"I see your skills haven't wavered even after such a long exile," the old, scar-faced man told his companion both reverently and companionably, "Lady Melisande."

"It's good to work with you again, Master Jeong Jeong," the lady replied with equal reverence as well as a warm smile.

And then, once again, the two firebending masters got into a fighting stance and prepared to fight the next batch of foes.

On yet another side of the battlefield, two of the greatest earthbenders in the world (if not already the best) were showing the Dai Li agents what real earthbending was all about. Tempests of boulders, jutting slabs of the ground, walls of earth encircling the enemies, avalanches, rock slides, and every imaginable (and unimaginable) technique in earthbending was showcased in that fight. And where better to have an exhibition of earthbending than in the Earth Kingdom's most illustrious city, and against the supposedly most elite earthbenders in that part of the world. Of course, as far as the latter claim was involved, the two earthbenders disagreed.

"Not bad for someone your age, old man," Toph told her companion playfully, as she executed another move that blocked a Dai Li agent's attack.

"Right back at you, little girl," King Bumi replied with his customary crazy laugh, while simultaneously taking out a small group of Dai Li. Toph grinned as she crushed a boulder being thrown at her.

Clearly, both master earthbenders were impressed by each other and there was a growing partnership and rivalry between them. In the company of an equal, both Toph and Bumi were motivated (more than ever) to exhibit the best of their abilities, their creativity, their improvisation, and all their crazy but effective ideas. Never had they been this challenged and this thrilled by a fight. In being so determined to outdo the other, they had easily wiped out a sizable chunk of Azula's Dai Li allies. The rest had merely fled, out of sheer terror from the amazing earthbending powers of the combined forces of the King of Omashu and the Blind Bandit.

And while Bumi and Toph were kicking enemy butt on one corner of the fight, another pair of master benders was busy cutting the enemy off from Lake Laogai and the other waterways of the city. The enemies were simply surprised with the waves of water seemingly from out of nowhere which would suddenly crash into them. Then, there was the rain of deadly, frozen darts which pinned the unsuspecting foes to the ground. And all around the city, men were being frozen to the ground or drenched in ice-cold water. They stood shivering, with teeth chattering, half-wishing that the firebenders would melt them out of their predicament and half-fearing being burned to a crisp.

The two powerful individuals responsible for these events glided to meet each other on frozen slides. The smaller figure, clad in all black, unmasked herself before bowing respectfully to the older man. But as the girl bowed, she had a small smile on her face.

"It is respectful and customary to bow before an old master," Pakku told his former student, "but how about a hug for your new grandfather."

Katara looked up quickly, her face brightened, and her blue eyes wide with joyful realization. She indulged her old master's request and warmly threw her arms around him. The usually sarcastic and serious old man smiled and returned the embrace affectionately.

"This is wonderful news," Katara said excitedly, "I'm so glad that you and Gran-gran were able to work things out. I'm so happy that I can officially call you a member of our family now."

"I was even able to make her a new betrothal necklace and everything. I guess I was just lucky enough to get a second chance at true love," Pakku replied albeit still in a grave tone. Katara laughed at him softly.

"Why, Grandfather," the young girl teased him playfully, "I never remembered you to be this sentimental."

"Well, some things change, Katara," Pakku replied with a smile. Katara grinned back. But from the corner of their eyes they spotted some enemy soldiers approaching. The two waterbending masters got into fighting stance, their feet steady and their hands raised, fingers poised, holding glowing globes of water above them. They narrowed their eyes on their opponents and prepared to strike.

"And some things remain the same, I see," Katara commented with a smirk.

"Focus, Katara," Pakku could not help but let his teacher's instincts take over, "we can catch up on old times later."

"You must have forgotten, Grandfather," Katara replied mischievously, "I'm always focused."

And then, the waterbenders unleashed their waves and torrents upon the advancing foes.

Finally, another pair of master firebenders was busy warding off the rest of Azula's troops as the over-fatigued princess was evacuated to hidden quarters. As these two firebenders were surrounded by the best of Azula's men (consisting not just of Dai Li agents but of mercenaries from all over the Four Nations as well), these two were clearly outnumbered. And yet, unfortunately for the opponents of this dynamic duo, they were clearly outmatched.

Both men worked in perfect coordination with one another, having trained together for years. Each was aware of his companion's fight patterns and was able to complement these adequately. The enemy fighters were foolish to underestimate the people they were up against, but alas, they had to learn their lesson the hard way. Rears were scorched, pride was hurt, and idiots were sent running for their lives by the time the two master firebenders finished the job.

"An unbeatable tandem," the older man commented with a grin, "nothing can get better than this."

"It's good to see you too, Uncle," Zuko replied with a small smile, as he blasted a ball of fire at one of the enemies, sending the poor man scurrying away. Iroh, on the other hand, sent a small whip of flame towards an approaching mercenary. Clutching his scorched behind, the man dropped his weapon and ran screaming towards where he could vaguely glimpse some water. Never mind that there was a pair of powerful waterbenders fighting in that general direction.

With coordinated and expert movements, Zuko kicked fire towards the advancing troops. With swift and quickly responsive movements, he burned the arrows that were being shot at him and dodged the boulders that the earthbenders were sending his way. From under his cloak, he brought out his dual broadswords and began slashing through rocks with the hot metal of the blades.

"Very interesting fusion of techniques, Zuko," Iroh praised his nephew as the older firebender kicked a flame at a slow opponent, "I'm impressed."

"Well, I learned from the best, Uncle," Zuko replied with a smile and a mysterious expression, slashing with his two swords in fluid movements. Iroh gave him a puzzled look, the old man's eyebrows going up.

"As much as I'd like to believe you're referring to me," the old man replied sounding slightly offended, nonchalantly throwing a fireball, blasting a pathetic enemy soldier a few feet away, "something tells me that you might be referring to your trickster of an aunt as well."

Zuko chuckled softly at his uncle's reply. And then, Iroh grinned back at Zuko while punching some fire at another set of enemies. Zuko smiled back. And there was an unspoken and incomprehensible understanding between nephew and uncle.

"It's time to live up to my title again," Iroh told Zuko as they faced the final group of enemies. Zuko nodded and quickly got behind his uncle as Iroh unleashed fierce flames from his mouth.

And so, faced with such daunting adversaries, the invaders of Ba Sing Se had no choice but to retreat. Azula knew that in her weakened condition (and the greatly damaged condition of her troops), she was in no position to maintain a campaign against the amazingly reinforced rebels. So she gathered her wits and went into hiding, taking with her only a select few of her followers and leaving the rest to be captured by the rebels.

The aforementioned rebels rejoiced at this decisive victory and a great cheer of joy rose into the air when they saw that their enemies were surrendering and retreating. It seemed like complete liberation of Ba Sing Se was nigh.

--

The two hooded figures ran quickly along the dark, deserted, labyrinthine alley ways of the lower ring. They had no light to illuminate the way but they were not hampered by the darkness and the shadows. They possessed no map to give them directions but they didn't need one, not when one of them could see with her feet.

Katara kept up with Toph as the young blind earthbender made her way through the maze. The waterbender couldn't help but marvel (yet again) at the other girl's talent and skill at sensing directions. Toph was clearly an invaluable asset to them as well as a great friend.

The two girls were on their way to a rendez-vous with their contact from Azula's camp. The spy would tell them the Fire Princess' whereabouts so that they would be able to storm in and finally take Azula into custody. The city was pretty much reconquered for the Earth Kingdom but for as long as Azula was at large, there remained a lingering threat. All the rebels were well aware of the princess' impressive ability to make a comeback after every fall and so they wanted to preempt such an event by capturing Azula.

Many had volunteered to undertake this task and a search party had already been formed to scour the city for potential hideaways. But the other leaders also chose to send a pair of skillful and powerful benders to coordinate with a spy from Azula's camp, in order to get better information. Once again, many had volunteered to do this but in the end, Katara and Toph had been chosen. When Zuko protested against this, Iroh and Melisande overruled his decision, his aunt and uncle saying that they needed to discuss something of utmost importance with him, something involving his future. And by their grave expressions, Zuko knew he had no choice and reluctantly allowed Katara and Toph to go together.

It wasn't that Zuko didn't trust in the abilities of the two girls. On the contrary, he was well aware of what they were capable of. Though he would be hard pressed to admit it, his protective instincts had started acting up. His desire to protect Katara was obvious enough. As for Toph, having spent the important period during the solar eclipse with the impressive blind earthbender, he had developed an admiration and fondness for her. Toph seemed to Zuko like the little sister Azula never was to him. And finally, his older brotherly instincts seemed to be taking over.

But like all over protective individuals, he had to succumb to reason and let them go on their own. After all, Katara had said, they were meeting with Haru, so there wouldn't be too many difficulties. And everyone in the rebel council and the Order of the White Lotus had wished them good luck.

They stopped running. Katara saw that Toph stood still, checking the area for others. The blind girl turned her head towards Katara's direction and nodded slightly. They had reached the meeting place. All they had to do was wait for Haru to arrive. Toph's feet were carefully placed on the ground, ready to sense any new arrival.

And the moment the vibrations were felt, the earthbender frowned and clenched her fists Katara noticed the tension and asked Toph what was wrong.

"This isn't the person we were expecting, Katara," Toph said simply, pointing to where the silhouette of a person was approaching them. Katara narrowed her eyes warily, hands poised carefully over her water gourd.

From the shadows emerged the pale figure of Mai. She looked as gloomy as usual but her eyes narrowed when they settled on the waterbender. Even if she was working for their side, the blade specialist just couldn't help but feel a tinge of resentment for the girl Zuko loved. And of course, Mai couldn't suppress a small pang of jealousy.

When Zuko had first shown himself to her, Mai had not been able to describe the gladness she had felt to see him alive. Perhaps, that was one of the few instances the passive girl had allowed herself to feel an intense emotion. And so she had heartily agreed to help the rebels. Of course, she knew that what Azula was doing was cruel and wrong. However, her primary reason for betraying the princess was the prince.

So, of course, learning about Zuko and Katara's relationship had come as an extreme blow to her. During one of their meetings, Zuko had been accompanied by the waterbender, and without having to explain the circumstances, Mai already knew it. She figured that Zuko had done this to also set the record straight between them. He saw her as a good friend, and nothing more. And yet, Mai couldn't bring herself to hate Zuko or to feel deprived of something she had never had any claim on in the first place. She didn't exactly approve of the waterbender but she also noticed that she had never seen Zuko so genuinely happy. And it seemed that the waterbender returned the sentiments. So difficult though it may have seemed, Mai had learned to accept it.

Katara was not exactly happy to see Mai either but they maintained a cold civility towards one another. The waterbender had seen the pain in Mai's face when the weapons expert had seen her and Zuko together. And Katara had realized that Mai had some unrequited feelings for Zuko. And Katara respected that and admired how Mai was able to handle herself with complete composure even in the face of extreme emotion.

So despite their coldness, the two fighters had developed mutual respect. Katara admired Mai's conviction and courage in betraying Azula. Mai gave Katara credit for being a great fighter, and someone who made Zuko smile.

Toph, of course, sensed the tension between them and she was sharp enough to figure out the cause of such tension. But she said nothing. Now was not the time for teasing.

"So, Haru couldn't make it, huh?" Toph addressed the raven-haired girl.

"He was otherwise engaged," Mai replied simply, "Azula keeps an especially watchful eye on him."

"Surely she cannot think that he is loyal to her," Katara said, "she threatened him into service."

"You'd be surprised," Mai replied, "with the way he has been acting, he seems even more devoted to her than either Ty Lee or me. Either your friend is a very talented actor or he has fallen under Azula's mysterious spell."

Katara frowned at this but couldn't help but remember her conversation with Haru when she and Zuko had first arrived in Ba Sing Se. He had been happy to see her again and more than eager to help the rebels' cause. The earthbender had expressed a strong desire to liberate Ba Sing Se, as redemption for having failed to defend it against invaders. But even then, Katara had sensed the slightest hint of hesitation in his manner. And in the way he had spoken about Azula, with mingled fear, loathing, and fascination, Katara had been slightly uneasy. But she had dismissed these suspicions as whimsical fantasies. But now, she wasn't so sure anymore.

"And what about you?" Toph asked Mai suspiciously, "aren't you under her spell as well?"

"I broke out of it when I decided to help Zuko," Mai answered, "and I intend to do my part. Believe it or not, I want this war to stop as well. Too many people have suffered because of people like Azula and her father. But if you don't trust me, that's not my problem."

Toph nodded back, since she knew that Mai was telling the truth.

"We trust you, Mai," Katara said in a slightly kinder tone, "because I know that you are Zuko's friend."

"Hmm," the pale, raven-haired girl said in reply, "we have no time to waste here. Azula will be looking for me soon. She has only retained me, Ty Lee, Haru, and one of the old courtiers who has served as a messenger. But she is planning to regroup her forces so the sooner you capture her, the better. And one reason, I suppose, for her keeping Haru is to use him as some sort of hostage or pawn to get you people to back off. The Dai Li and the rest of the army are in another part of the city, awaiting her orders. But lately, she's been losing her influence on them. I think that they would desert her as soon as they get the chance."

Katara and Toph frowned at this before returning to the discussion. Mai handed Katara a small map of where Azula was hiding as well as gave instructions to Toph about how to get there. The pale girl was able as well to give the status of Azula's forces and a glimpse into Azula's future plans. Katara thanked her for her help and they continued talking when Toph whispered something sharply.

"She's coming," the earthbender said, "Azula's on her way. And she's walking fast."

Immediately, Katara and Mai were on their guard. They couldn't allow Azula to catch Mai giving information to them and they really needed to get the information to the others. And Katara, Toph, and Mai knew that they might not be able to take Azula on. Thinking quickly, Katara shoved the map into Toph's hands and instructed her to return to camp, rapidly explaining her plan. Toph's face had an incredulous expression and Mai was surprised as well but with more urging, Toph reluctantly left the two girls there, muttering something about Katara getting all the fun.

And just as Azula was about to arrive at that location, Mai quickly grabbed Katara's hands and bound them behind her back with one hand and with another, the pale girl pointed a knife to the waterbender's neck.

"What do we have here?" the princess' sarcastic and slightly amused voice could be heard.

Taking deep breaths, Mai and Katara began the masquerade.

"I caught her trying to sniff out our hiding place, Azula," Mai said in her usual monotonous and bored tone, effectively masking her agitation.

Azula approached Katara and smiled sinisterly at the slightly struggling waterbender.

"It seems like another pawn has walked into my lair," Azula commented with pleasure, her golden eyes glinting with mischief, "lock her up. We now have something to negotiate with the rebels. We can get rid of her afterwards."

Azula turned and walked away, laughing with dark glee at the unexpected and convenient occurrence. Mai, still holding Katara like a captive, followed the princess back to the hidden quarters somewhere beneath the city.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Mai muttered to Katara softly, "this is a deadly and foolish risk."

"I know," Katara whispered back, her blue eyes filled with determination, "but it should be able to make our job easier."

--

And she was right.

Of course, contrary to what Azula thought, Mai did not really lock Katara up. Instead the cell she placed the waterbender in was open and the moment Azula had gone to her private quarters to relish her little victory, Mai had let Katara out and together, they began destroying the hideout. Soon, Ty Lee and Haru joined them as the they blocked out all possible escape routes. The girls said nothing to Haru about the delay and merely worked quietly. Katara noted a tangible but inexplicable change in his manner, as if he had conflicted feelings about something important. And since he refused to talk about it, he focused his energy on earthbending openings for the rebels to pass through when they reached that place.

Katara used her waterbending to destroy the stores of weapons in that subterranean hideout as well as to eliminate all other useful items. The plan was to do as much internal damage as possible until the rebels arrived and captured Azula for good.

But of course it was not long before Azula noticed that chaos was brewing beyond her quarters. Naturally, she went to investigate. But once the others had sense her coming (marked by the scorch marks and blue flames that were thrown about), they had to act quickly and stage a a mock battle wherein Ty Lee, Mai, and Haru were "finally" defeating Katara after a long and arduous struggle. None of them could afford letting Azula fight Katara at this point in time. But as Azula began to approach the "recaptured" waterbender with anger and irritation in the princess' golden eyes, her hands poised and crackling, ready to send lightning through Katara's heart, Ty Lee quickly got behind the princess and with a few well-placed jabs, the circus performer blocked the princess' chi.

Azula fell to the ground in a limp heap, her face enraged. But she was temporarily unable to bend so she had no choice. She saw that Mai quickly released Katara from her grip and together, the waterbender and the blade specialist began to bind Azula's arms tightly.

"Bloody traitors!"

The Fire Nation princess screamed with rage and incredulity. Her golden eyes were wide as she stared from Mai to Ty Lee to Haru to Katara as they stood around her. They had bound her arms and feet and Haru had enclosed her in an earth wall that wrapped around her entire body until her neck. She glared at the two girls, her eyes ablaze with hatred and to some extent, pain. But even in defeat, Azula was able to steel herself well. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before continuing to glare at her two former allies.

"I never expected this of you," the betrayed Fire Nation princess addressed Mai and Ty Lee, "what I cannot figure out is why you did it?"

Katara looked at the two girls, wondering how they would respond. Haru could not look Azula in the eye and merely kept his gaze on the ground, his head bowed, as if in shame.

Ty Lee didn't look comfortable answering the question and instead looked nervously at Mai who looked as passive and composed as usual.

"You wouldn't be able to understand, Azula," Mai replied gravely, her eyes narrowed, "that there comes a point when you can no longer control people with fear."

"That's nonsense, Mai," Azula retorted, "something, or someone else, put you up to this. You would never have betrayed me just like that. And now, you're going to tell me who, who are you loyal to now, Mai? And who will you betray next?"

Katara turned her eyes to Mai both nervously and curiously, just as eager as Azula to hear the response. But once again, the dark-haired girl retained her calm expression and only narrowed her eyes.

"If you knew me as well as you think you do," Mai replied enigmatically, "you would already know the answer."

Before Azula could fire another retort, the large door to the chamber burst open and dozens of rebel soldiers surrounded the princess. Leading them were Toph and Melisande.

Taking the entire scene into stock, Melisande gave a smile of approval to Katara, who nodded back gratefully.

Toph pouted and said, "Geez, Katara, do you know how to take monopolize the glory."

--

Several hours later, Haru paid a secret visit to the dungeons of Ba Sing Se. He walked with a decisive gait towards the cell at the end of one of the empty halls, the most heavily guarded one. He paused for a moment to ponder his decision. And then, the earthbender took a deep breath, before proceeding to the where two tall earthbenders were guarding the metal door. They greeted him warmly, since they were old acquaintances of his and he returned the gesture.

"I'll be taking over for this shift, fellas," Haru told the two guards who were more than happy to take a break. They were some of the many earthbenders who weren't aware of Haru's stint as one of Azula's lackeys. And that was fortunate for Haru. He could do without all the guilt-tripping glares people were giving him ever since he had rejoined the rebels. Not a single one of them, even Katara who, by far, had shown him the most kindness, could understand his predicament. In fact, he hardly understood it himself.

And perhaps he had come here to seek answers to those questions. Or maybe just to say what he felt needed to be said. Haru sighed and did not dare look through the narrow window of the cell.

Instead, he stood a few meters away and simply addressed the cell door, trying his best to imagine the reactions of the person on the other side.

"Princess Azula," Haru began hesitantly, "it's Haru." He waited to hear some sign of acknowledgment, even a scornful one but he heard none and felt slightly discouraged. Nevertheless, he forced himself to continue.

"I betrayed you," he proceeded, "and I know that you expected that of me. But I just have to tell you that even if I was against your campaign from the very beginning, I was very, very reluctant to betray you."

Again, though he waited, there was no response. Nothing but that sinister silence. He gulped, but went on rambling.

"You are the princess of the Fire Nation," he said, "the nation that began this hundred-year war, you and your ancestors have destroyed the lives of countless innocent people. And you yourself, you have significantly contributed to your family's war crimes by conquering Ba Sing Se. You are cruel and power-hungry and hell bent on success at any cost."

Haru paused, not expecting any answer, but instead, trying to organize his thoughts, before he continued.

"And yet," he said sincerely, "even with all these negative qualities and the fact that we belong to opposite sides of the spectrum, we are so different, I could not help but admire you to a certain extent. You are truly a firebending master. You are cunning and intelligent, a talented strategist. You are authoritative and frighteningly charismatic. And you are, you are..."

He stammered and hesitated before saying, "You are very beautiful, Princess Azula. I cannot deny that."

Then, the earthbender felt all of a sudden very tense and perspiration was pouring down his face. But there was still no reaction from the person inside the cell.

"I know that you think very poorly of me," he said, "and I can understand that. But even though I hate all the things you've done, after serving you for this short time here in Ba Sing Se, I know that I definitely do not hate you. It seems outrageous really. And I know that you'll probably call me an idiot for this. But I..."

Haru paused again, a blush spreading across his face. He took another deep breath and mustered the courage to say this last important thing.

"Princess Azula," Haru continued, "I think that I l--.."

"What are you doing here, Haru?" a voice asked from behind the earthbender. Haru whirled around to see the stern figure of Prince Zuko looking at him with a slightly puzzled and slightly amused expression on his face. But if Zuko had heard any of what Haru had said, the prince gave no indication of it.

"I," Haru stammered, "I'm taking over for the guards."

"I see," Zuko replied, walking towards the cell, "but I would like to check on my little sister now."

"Of course," Haru said quickly and timidly, stepping aside to let Zuko peer in the small cell window. But the moment Zuko peeked in, his eyes widened and he quickly grabbed the keys hanging on the wall and began unlocking the door. Haru became alarmed and asked Zuko what the matte was. Zuko said nothing but flung the metal door open to reveal an empty cell, with a large gaping hole of melted metal in the wall.

Haru's eyes widened at the sight and an expression of pure shock was on his mustached face. Exactly how long had she been gone?

"But how..?" the earthbender said incredulously.

"You tell me," Zuko replied, glaring at the earthbender. Haru's eyes widened at the implication and raised his hands in defense.

"I swear," the earthbender said earnestly, "I swear I had nothing to do with it."

Zuko frowned, sighed, and shook his head before turning around sharply to be able to act immediately on what happened. But before he left the dungeon, he paused to say something to the stricken earthbender.

"It was just too bad that Azula wasn't able to hear your little confession, Haru," the Fire Prince said simply, "but I'm not so sure that she would have liked it."

And then, Zuko quickly ran to alert the others on his sister's escape.

Haru stared after Zuko before turning his incredulous gaze back to the empty cell.

END OF PART TWO

_And there. I hope you weren't too freaked out by this one. I also hope that you didn't find this a boring or stupid chapter. I am a little conscious about this and nervous about your reactions but I will accept constructive criticism and feedback. Thank you in advance for your comments_

_There are still a lot of unanswered questions at the end of this part and I assure you, they will be resolved in the next installment. So keep your eyes out for them in the coming chapters._

_I'm glad you guys liked the fight scene. I'm so thankful for your comments._

_Thanks again, Tea, for the long and generous review. Since you give anonymous reviews, I'm not able to thank you personally. And sorry for the spoiler. As for Sokka and Suki, I know they didn't make an appearance here. They're busy at the North Pole but you will all surely see more of them in Part Three. Oh, and I don't mind essays. In fact, the longer the review, the more I enjoy it! :)_

_Thanks to Bonnie and mT... I never disable anonymous reviews. I love reviews! They inspire me to continue writing. And as for your question, mT, about Haru and Azula...I won't be giving anything away yet. :)_

_I will try to update as often as I can but it is midterm season and work is piling up. Anyway..._

_Thank you all for reading and for coming this far in the story. Only eight chapters to go before the end._


	18. Part Three, Chapter 1

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender" – among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

Suki carefully walked around the deck of the Water Tribe ship that headed the fleet of vessels all sailing towards the Fire Nation. The chilly night wind blew against her face and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she explored the ship. After turning a corner, the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors found what she was looking for.

Sokka was alone, leaning against the railing of the ship, gazing pensively at the full moon. Suki watched him with a smile and decided not to approach him right away. Instead, as she faced the back of the young Water Tribe Warrior, Suki recalled what they had been doing for the past few weeks.

She had learned the story of Princess Yue and becoming the Moon Spirit. Chief Arnook had told the tale of his daughter's sacrifice to the council on one occasion. The Kyoshi Warrior had noted that the dignified man spoke of his beloved child with mingled pride and sadness. It was clear that before anything else, he was still a father who had lost his dearest child. While Chief Arnook had narrated the story, Suki had observed that Sokka looked very grave and serious, a very unusual circumstance. She had her suspicions about it, that Princess Yue and Sokka probably had some sort of "history" between them but Suki decided not to confront Sokka about it. Luckily, after that, Sokka had spoken to her in private, telling her about his connection with the current Moon Spirit. He said that he wanted things clear between them and that Suki deserved to know about his past. It was then that the Kyoshi Warrior realized and truly appreciated just how much Sokka trusted her. She was impressed by his honesty and openness. She had smiled at him and told him that his past did not bother her and what truly mattered was how they would shape their future together. He had smiled back and thanked her for being so understanding.

And now, here they stood, after weeks of constant planning and strategizing, they were finally off to probably the greatest and most decisive battle of their lives. The alliance between the Northern and Southern Water Tribes had been officially fortified by the two chieftains. Another alliance had been formed as well, one between the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom of which Suki had served as a representative.

Of course, this second coalition had become more official with the arrival of the Earth King at the North Pole after escaping Azula's invasion of Ba Sing Se. The young royal who had spent most of his life cooped up within the confines of the grand walled city, had been amazed and astounded by the North Pole. He had also been so excited to meet the chiefs of the Water Tribes as well as the Mechanist and the other guests. The meeting had been an overwhelming experience for the Earth King and he only regretted not being able to stay in Ba Sing Se and be of use to his people.

Despite his naiveté, the Earth King was a kind and caring leader and he had never wanted to abandon his people to the forces of the Fire Nation. But his generals had convinced him that there was nothing to be gained by remaining in Ba Sing Se and that it was in his best interest (and that of his people as well) to flee to their allies and form treaties and coalitions in order to defeat the Fire Nation and help the Avatar restore balance to the world.

And although both Arnook and Hakoda had wanted to send some warriors and waterbenders to help reclaim Ba Sing Se, Melisande had written that this was not necessary and that the rebel forces had everything under control. Zuko and Katara had also made contact with Sokka, informing them that the two benders had likewise arrived to help in the defense. Although But what had really given Chief Arnook the most reassurance was hearing that Master Pakku, accompanied by several other legendary bending masters, had gone to Ba Sing Se to fight Azula's army. The Northern Water Tribe chief knew the waterbending master well enough and knew that if there was anyone who could make a great impact and difference in battle, it would be Pakku. And if the waterbending master was reunited with his star student (whom Hakoda was very proud of), then there was no doubt about victory.

And true enough, after several days, the Water Tribes received the good news that Ba Sing Se had been liberated. Of course, there was still the matter of Princess Azula's escape from prison but it had been reported that she no longer intended to capture the city (especially after most of her most loyal allies had deserted her), and that she was heading towards the Fire Nation to confront her father.

So, the free peoples of the Four Nations, had joined forces to plan an invasion of the Fire Nation a few days before the arrival of Sozin's Comet. Sokka, Hakoda, Teo, and the Mechanist had put their heads together and come up with many innovative inventions, weapons and transport vessels. The warriors of both groups had cross-trained with one another to improve their skills and to learn new and helpful techniques which they hoped to surprise the Fire Nation with. It had been the busiest time for the North Pole and there had never been so many outsiders in the great city before. The past few weeks had been one of those rare opportunities for people from different parts of the Four Nations to interact with one another and to share their culture with each other.

Sokka and Hakoda had been pleased to see the progress of their planning and they had high hopes for their invasion plan. Everyone wanted to contribute to ending the century-long war and all wanted to support the Avatar in his campaign against the Fire Nation tyrant. The last they had heard of Aang was that the young airbender had left the Eastern Air Temple after acquiring some invaluable advice from Guru Pathik. They had discovered the location of the cave with the giant that the Avatar was supposed to liberate and he had proceeded there.

Although Sokka was not really a big fan of "magic", myths, ancient prophecies, and the like, he had seen (on many an occasion) how Aang's Avatar legacy had been of great help to them. So the skeptical and sarcastic Water Tribe Warrior just hoped that whatever secrets Aang unlocked, the young airbender would be strengthened enough to face his destiny.

Sokka gazed at the gleaming, white orb that illuminated the sky with her gentle light. He still remembered the girl who had turned into the moon and on certain nights, he would look up at the moon and find comfort and composure. The eclipse had come and gone with everything going according to plan. Ba Sing Se had been captured and liberated in the past few weeks. And now, here they all were, with Sozin's comet on its way, while they were sailing towards their destiny. All that had happened in the past weeks, the constant planning, preparation, and training, everything would now be put to the test. And as much as Sokka wanted to be optimistic, he couldn't help but feel slightly nervous.

After observing him for quite some time, Suki finally decided to approach her pensive young Water Tribe Warrior. She stood beside him and leaned on the railings as well. The Kyoshi Warrior said nothing but waited for Sokka to talk to her. They stood together for a few moments in companionable silence, each enjoying and finding comfort in the other's presence. Suki placed her hand on top of Sokka's and looked at her gratefully.

"This is it, Suki," Sokka told the young girl, his voice filled unusually with emotion, "everything begins and ends here."

"I know," the warrior replied earnestly, squeezing his hand.

"But are we ready to face whatever comes?" Sokka asked doubtfully, a hint of hesitation in his voice, "what if something goes wrong? We can't afford to have any slip-ups in the plan. Too much depends on our success. But what if some freak accident occurs? Or if.."

"Sokka," Suki interrupted the agitated leader, placing a finger on his lips. He stopped ranting and looked into those brave green eyes and then, he fell silent. He bowed his head, embarrassed by his outburst. Suki put a hand on his shoulder sympathetically and smiled encouragingly.

"There can never be any absolute guarantee about anything we do in the future," she said with a wisdom beyond her years, "no matter how long and how carefully plan, we can never truly foretell what will come. But that doesn't mean that all our preparations were for naught. If anything, they increase our chances of victory."

"I guess you're right, Suki," Sokka agreed, "I was just getting a little nervous. This is probably the most important thing I've ever done in my entire life."

"I understand your apprehension," Suki answered, "and I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous too. But remember that no matter what happens, we're in this together, you, me, your father, the Water Tribes, Aang, Katara, everyone."

"I know," Sokka said with a cheered up smile.

"And of course," Suki continued, with a sly look in her eyes, "if anything goes wrong, we can always improvise, right? You've always been a fan of the element of surprise."

Sokka looked wide-eyed at the smiling girl beside him and felt a surge of affection for her. He grinned back at Suki and put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close to him. She leaned her head on his shoulder and they gazed at the moon together.

"I love you, Suki," Sokka told the girl earnestly.

"I know, Sokka," she replied with a smile, resting her head on his shoulder.

--

Out on the deck of another vessel which also had its course set to the Fire Nation, three people leaned on the railings of the boat, each one also pondering on the days to come and recalling the whirlwind events of the days past. Each person had different mindsets about these important things and not all of them were open to discussion.

It had been several days since the fleet of Allied ships had set sail from the now-liberated walled city of Ba Sing Se. Capable and trustworthy soldiers had been commissioned to take charge of the city until the Earth King returned and his generals came back from the war. Several efficient city officials who had helped the rebels had been reinstated and entrusted with administrating the city's concerns until a more formal and organized government was established after the war. As far as Ba Sing Se was concerned, there was nothing left to fear.

Therefore, the Old Masters, the rebels, and the friends of the Avatar had departed and set their course for the Fire Nation, to participate in the most decisive battle of the century. They had only rested very briefly before they had prepared for battle once more. They all knew that before an era of peace could be established, there would be one last, great struggle. The Avatar was on his way and they all intended to support him and to play any role (no matter how insignificant) in ending the war. For they were all victims of its harsh effects. Each one had been scarred by the war in one way or another and they finally wanted some closure for all the misery they had endured. This was their final stand, their destiny.

The bushy-haired Freedom Fighter Jet, as was his habit, chewed on a grain while he watched the waves lap against the hull of the ship. Gazing towards the horizon, he narrowed his eyes, knowing that he was going to the land of those who had destroyed his life. And this was his chance to avenge all those he had loved and lost.

Jet had learned much from his recent experiences and he wasn't the same angry, vengeful, and blind boy that he had been when he was still the leader of the Freedom Fighters. He was against the war but he now understood that there were better, fairer ways of fighting back. He was thankful that he was able to survive Long Feng's attack and after that, he had realized that he had been given a second chance at life and that he was not to waste it this time.

And another important realization he had had was that he must not be too quick to judge people. Although Fire Nation citizens had destroyed his home and massacred his family, he discovered that not all firebenders were evil. In fact some of them proved to be the kindest and best people he had ever met. And like him, these firebenders wanted to end the war. When he had first heard of the allied rebels of the free peoples of the Four Nations, Jet had been elated to enlist but he had never expected that this group would be headed by a member of the Fire Nation Royal family.

He had been wary at first, reluctant to trust so close a relation to the Fire Lord. But when he had learned more about Melisande, how she had been banished for eight years after defying the Fire Lord and rebelling. But she had escaped her prison through very unique circumstances and here she was, re-organizing her troops and more determined than ever to help end the war. After learning more about Melisande, and later on, about her nephew, the banished prince Zuko, Jet's biases about firebenders were altered.

Jet had been both surprised and impressed when he heard that Katara had been involved in liberating Melisande from her prison. The lady firebender seemed to think very highly of the waterbender and she had soon sensed that Jet had been acquainted with Katara as well. He had been slightly apprehensive about seeing her again in Ba Sing Se. Although she had already forgiven him the last time they had parted, he still felt slightly ashamed of who he had been when she had first met him. After all this time, he had had a lingering feeling that he had failed her somehow and so he wanted to redeem himself to her. He knew that he and Katara would never be as close as they once were, but at least, he wanted her friendship.

And fortunately, their reunion had turned out a lot better than Jet had expected. Katara had been very glad to see that he was alive and after the battle at Ba Sing Se, she had given him a warm hug. And right then, Jet had felt a huge wave of relief and happiness wash over him as he returned the hug. But he had also sensed that just as he had changed, so had she. She was a lot stronger than she had been, and that didn't mean just in her bending. Somehow, Jet observed, that Katara had grown up a lot in the short time that he hadn't seen her. She could only be lovelier and more admirable to him that way and he felt slightly proud of her. She had expressed her joy at seeing him alive and helping the rebels. She had immediately sensed how he had changed since they last met, and Jet was contented that she understood and fully forgave him. It seemed that they would indeed be good friends, after all.

Then, Jet had been surprised that accompanying Katara was Lee, the young man he had met on the way to Ba Sing Se. Lee seemed equally surprised to see him there. Immediately Jet had apologized for having tried to expose Lee and his uncle to the authorities during that time. Lee had smiled at him and told him that there was nothing to forgive.

"You were right, after all," Lee had told Jet then, "uncle and I really are firebenders."

Jet's eyes had widened and he was tempted to say "I knew it!" when Melisande joined them and introduced "Lee" as her nephew Prince Zuko.

"You're Prince Zuko!" Jet had exclaimed and what followed were long and slightly humorous explanations. Jet had also seen that Katara and the firebender seemed to have a mutual understanding. He saw enough to guess the circumstances and yet he couldn't say that he was too jealous. They made a good pair.

And so, when everything had been sorted out, new plans had been drawn and preparations had been made. Once the final details had been attended to, they had decided to finally set sail for the Fire Nation. And as he gazed once more at the horizon, Jet smiled, the grain still in his mouth. This time, he'd make a worthwhile difference.

A few meters away from the Freedom Fighter, Ty Lee rested her head on both hands as she stared, mesmerized, at the moon. She smiled, enjoying the sight, and a cool breeze blew across her face. Ty Lee breathed in with satisfaction before continuing her reverie.

Never had she imagined herself to be in her current position. Ty Lee had never considered actually betraying Azula even when the princess' actions had been unpalatable to the gifted acrobat. Somehow, treachery had never been in her nature, and even now, though she knew she had done the right thing, she still felt a pang of guilt about Azula. After all, the princess had been one of her closest friends, or at least, Ty Lee had considered Azula one, and it was always painful to have to betray any of your friends.

But then again, Ty Lee knew that Azula had gone too far. The circus performer had seen all the pain and suffering caused by the princess' desire for power and control and Ty Lee had not liked it. But she had not known how she would be able to turn against Azula on her own, or even with Mai. It had been too risky.

And then, Mai had come to her with Zuko's invitation. At first, Ty Lee had dismissed Mai's claim as delusional since Ty Lee had believed Zuko to be dead. But when Zuko had finally shown himself to the acrobat upon Mai's urging, Ty Lee had heartily agreed to help them. And she did. Even now, Ty Lee could still remember the look of mingled fury and incredulity on Azula's face when Ty Lee had blocked her chi. It had been difficult to do so despite everything Azula had done. And even while the princess had been incapacitated, her aura had still been intimidating. Then, when the rest of the rebels had arrived, Ty Lee had finally relaxed, since she didn't know how long Azula's chi would be blocked. And even with their combined strengths, the acrobat wasn't sure that they could take on the firebending prodigy.

But as it turned out, Azula had been able to escape after all. At first, Ty Lee had been afraid of what Azula would do with her or Mai if the princess encountered them again. But they had heard, much to Ty Lee's relief, that Azula was heading straight to the Fire Nation, most probably to recoup whoever allies she had left there and to confront her father. Why the princess still had the audacity to do such a thing considering her very fresh and recent defeat was incredible. Iroh, Melisande, and Zuko, however, did not seem too surprised by Azula's decision and they only hoped that Azula would not prove to be too much of an obstacle in the war. But then again, she stood very little chance of winning against her father, no matter how powerful she thought she was.

Ty Lee shook her head sadly. Azula had gone on a very dark and twisted path, and the acrobat knew that whatever happened in the next few days, nothing would end well for the Fire Princess. And as the acrobat remembered those last days in Ba Sing Se, she turned her gaze to the long-haired earthbender standing several meters away from her, leaning on the railing and looking gravely at the sea. As she looked at him, Ty Lee thought that Haru was a very strange character, and one very difficult to read.

At first, his behavior had been predictable enough. After a pathetic and futile resistance against Azula when she was conquering Ba Sing Se, he had surrendered his troops and was imprisoned. And then, Azula did a very peculiar thing by recruiting him. Mai and Ty Lee had known, of course, that the princess only intended to humiliate and dominate Haru to set an example to all other insurgents. But what had confounded Ty Lee was Haru's reaction to his stint as Azula's ally.

Although at first he had been bitter and reluctant, gradually, he seemed to form an incomprehensible attachment to the princess. At first, Ty Lee had dismissed it as his being infatuated with Azula's beauty and talent. That wasn't so unexpected. But then, as time went on, this little infatuation on Haru's part seemed to grow that he had found it difficult to act reluctant about Azula's orders. And Ty Lee had noticed this and was slightly curious, and slightly apprehensive, especially when she and Mai had decided to act as rebel spies. Although she knew that Haru was definitely working with his friends, Ty Lee had often seen him just as pensive as he was now, as if he was caught in some kind of moral struggle of some sort.

And since he had been the guard on duty when Zuko had discovered that Azula had escaped, suspicion had fallen on him. And though, Zuko had acquitted Haru of the responsibility, there was still a lingering doubt among the others about the earthbender's true allegiances. Looking at him now, Ty Lee wondered if after all that had happened, he still was to be trusted.

For his part, Haru felt weighed down by the mistrust he had caused because of his showing up at the dungeon that day. It seemed that even if Princess Azula was not there, she was still getting him in trouble. But what continued to haunt him was whether she had heard what he had said in the dungeon. And if he had wanted her to hear it. Now, he wasn't so sure, partly because he already knew how she would react. Haru was also embarrassed that Zuko had been able to hear even a part of his confession. Thankfully, the prince did not seem to have disseminated that piece of information around. But the earthbender knew that despite everything, Azula's brother was wary of him.

Haru frowned as this melange of thoughts bombarded him. He was still fighting against the Fire Lord, of course. But right now, he wasn't so sure what he would do if he faced the Fire Princess again.

"What are you all moping about out here?" a bored voice commented, breaking the silence.

Jet, Haru, and Ty Lee turned their heads to see the raven-haired blades specialist, leaning against the wall of one of the cabins, her arms folded, observing them with the same impassive expression she always wore.

"I was just gazing at the moon, Mai," Ty Lee answered brightly, "it looks so beautiful tonight."

Mai glanced at the celestial body and then looked down, obviously unimpressed by the lunar beauty.

"Well, instead of wasting your time out here," Mai advised, "you all should be getting some rest. We have a long journey ahead of us."

And with that, the pale, dark-haired girl turned and re-entered the cabin, the door slamming shut behind her.

--

Within one of the cabins of the head rebel ship, two great firebenders were sharing a pot of steaming hot tea. They sipped from their cups with satisfaction and they were content to savor the quiet moment of peace and relaxation. They might not have another opportunity like this one any time soon. There was companionable silence between them as they sipped their tea.

"So you were able to fulfill your childhood vision, after all," the lady began, breaking the silence. Her companion nodded with a smile.

"It took some time for me to realize what that vision really meant," he replied, "but I got to it in the end."

"The pieces are falling into place," the lady commented, "and we are fast approaching our destinies."

"Destinies are what we make them," counseled the old man, "and by the looks of things, our destiny is bound to be both difficult and interesting."

"It's been eight years," Melisande said with a narrowing of her fierce, golden eyes, "eight years since I last saw that man. I've served my time. It's time that he is subjected to judgment as well."

"Judgment that has been long delayed," Iroh replied gravely, "but I am certain that there has been a reason for all this. My brother will certainly have to face atonement rites far steeper than anything you, Zuko, or I can even imagine."

"Do you even believe that he can still atone for everything he has done?" Melisande answered slightly louder, "I hardly think so."

"To be honest," Iroh answered earnestly, "I don't know how Ozai will have to face his destiny. It is not in my place to be the judge of his actions. All I know is that we must help the Avatar defeat him."

"That is why we have gathered together, isn't it?" Melisande said, "all the free peoples of the Four Nations finally uniting against a common foe. And all shall be decided when the Avatar faces the Fire Lord. Most especially now, since Fate has made it so that only Aang can truly match Ozai since the Fire Lord has somehow acquired the ability to bend all four elements. But I'm sure that he only did so through underhanded means."

"Believe me when I say," Iroh said, "that no good will come from trying to steal someone else's destiny."

"He will soon feel the adverse effects of it, I am sure," Melisande commented with a small smile of glee, "and how I'd love to be there when he falls."

Iroh gave a hearty laugh at the lady's sadism. Sometimes he really knew whom Azula took after.

"Speaking of the Avatar," Iroh said on a more serious note, "have you heard any news of him?"

"My sister is with him now," Melisande replied, "and she is helping him come to terms with his past as well as what he must do in the future. It isn't a short or easy journey."

Iroh nodded with understanding, refilling his cup of tea.

"At least he knows that he is not alone in this struggle," Iroh said while sipping his cup of tea, "he has many friends who are helping him, giving him strength and courage."

"He has gone through his fair share of trials and tribulations as well as the rest of us," Melisande remarked, "he is no less a victim of this war than the rest of us."

"But he is a strong and talented young man," Iroh said of Aang, "and I am certain that he will get through this. And in the meantime, we'll take over the fighting and everything."

"I don't think he can stand to be of so little use to his people for very long," Melisande told Iroh, "he will come soon. His destiny is upon him, just as it is for all of us here."

--

Fueled by the moon's pale illumination, the waterbender took a deep breath and carefully raised her hands, summoning a large globe of water to form and to float in the air, just under her control. With full concentration, she moved her arms in fluid gestures, manipulating the now glowing orb of water and molding it into various shapes and sizes. She followed a certain pattern, moved her feet in this way and that, getting the feel of the many techniques she had learned in the North Pole and some which she had made up herself. She swayed across the deck, moving in a sort of dance, all the while playing with the water and moving the orb in any direction she chose.

Katara was always at peace when she was practicing her bending under the full moon. Not only were her powers at their height, but so was her concentration. Alone on the deck of the head rebel ship, she was able to temporarily get her mind of all the things that had been happening to her in the recent weeks. There were just too much, too much to mention, and if she let them overwhelm her, she would collapse from the burden.

But she needed her strength, she needed her power. She needed to be at her best because this would be the hardest thing she would ever have to do, and also one of the most important. And although she had resolved to keep her mind free from all unnecessary thoughts, a memory couldn't help but insert itself into her consciousness. Katara sighed and carefully dropped the orb of water back into the sea, and then she stared hard and intently at her two hands.

She was the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe. Her mother had died to protect her. And though she tried to suppress it, a single, sparkling tear fell down her cheek. But Katara recollected herself and gazed up at the moon determinedly. She would get through this, she would be strong.

Someone cleared his throat behind her, breaking Katara's reverie. She turned to see Zuko standing behind her, holding out a cup of steaming hot jasmine tea. She smiled and took the cup he had offered, and then she took a sip of the soothing liquid.

"I couldn't sleep either," Zuko said simply, with Katara turning her blue eyes to his face.

He sipped from his own cup of tea, his eyes closed in seriousness and contentment. They savored the moment. Apparently, Zuko had picked up a few useful habits from his uncle.

They stood together on the deck, just content with each other's presence and glad to have a companion in the middle of the night. No words needed to be exchanged between them. They were already burdened enough by words and thoughts and memories. All they really needed now was a quiet moment together, to cherish and remember forever.

Zuko had watched Katara practice her waterbending and he knew that she was nervous about the fight. They all were. Thoughts of what to do when they arrived haunted him constantly and he wasn't sure about what he would say or do when he confronted his father again. Then, there was, of course, the matter of settling things with Azula.

Iroh and Melisande had spoken to him about his future, about his country's future. Iroh refused to take his rightful place at the throne and instead said that a new Fire Lord must replaced Ozai, a Fire Lord who, though tainted by his forefathers' sins, had redeemed himself and passed the rites of atonement. And while Zuko had eagerly and proudly turned his eyes at Melisande, she had shaken her head.

"I don't understand," Zuko had said, in denial, as he faced his uncle and aunt's serious faces.

"You must become the next Fire Lord, Zuko," Melisande told her nephew with conviction, "this is your destiny. You have proven yourself worthy of it, the Firebending Masters have ascertained it, and only you, along with the Avatar, can redeem your ancestors' sins."

"That can't be true," Zuko had protested, "I've constantly strayed from the right path."

"Only to find your way back to it," Iroh continued. Melisande had nodded with approval.

"You love your country," Melisande reminded her nephew, "more than any other Fire Lord ever did. You have struggled and suffered but triumphed in the end. And it is time for you to save what you love most."

Zuko had paused and pondered over every thing they had told him.

"But I can't do it alone," he said finally, "and I don't want anyone to get hurt along the way."

"You can't really prevent involving people in this matter," Iroh had warned him, "but you can be sure that you won't be doing this alone. All of us will be here to help you."

"And if you're worried about Katara," Melisande said, sensing what Zuko had been most apprehensive about, "then you aren't giving her enough credit."

"I know that she's more than strong enough," Zuko answered, "but do I really deserve so much?"

"You are such a child of extremes," Melisande teased him, "at first you were too arrogant, and now you are too modest. You need to find a balance."

Zuko had smiled back slightly at the jest. Despite this, he knew that she was right. Melisande had placed a hand on his shoulder affectionately.

"You two have been through so much together," she had told him, "what's another set of great adventures?"

Katara had taken the news very well and had, as was her nature, reassured him and comforted him. They had spent many evenings talking about what was to be done and sharing their doubts and fears with one another. So tonight, words were unnecessary between the two.

So many things had happened, so many things still needed to be done. They all knew that. But now, as Zuko glanced at the serene waterbender beside him, he felt less scared, less nervous about the future. Their destinies had intersected and now they were entwined. He had been afraid of causing harm to Katara through the sins of his family but now he had also realized that she would stick with him no matter what she had to go through. And, sentimental as it was, any pain seemed tolerable as long as she was by his side. Zuko had also never been this sentimental but many things had changed in both of them during the past days.

Katara glanced at the firebender, seeing him lapse into his usual thoughtful self again. She smiled sympathetically and took his hand. At the contact, he looked at her with surprise and then with gratitude. An earnest glance went between the two and Katara gave Zuko's hand an encouraging squeeze. Their fingers clasped as a chilly wind blew against them.

Zuko took a deep breath and looked beyond the waves of the sea, to where his country lay waiting for him. Katara followed his glance and went closer to him. It was there that he would face his destiny, and she would be by his side through it all. Zuko and Katara stood in blissful silence, both seeming to be glowing under the full moon light.

Nothing needed to be said between them. All had already been understood.

--

And at that moment, somewhere in the heart of the Fire Nation, one man sat smugly on his throne, contemplating his imminent victories. Alone in that vast chamber, Fire Lord Ozai, surrounded by dancing flames, stared intently at the large map of the Four Nations laid on the floor. He imagined a shadow engulfing the remaining free nations, a new kingdom rising from the ashes. And he would be the ruler of this new world.

And with his newly acquired power, not even the Avatar could stop him. Ozai smirked with satisfaction.

"I'm waiting for you, last airbender," the Fire Lord muttered menacingly, "everything you know is about to change."

--

_And that's a wrap. Everyone needed a calm before the storm. I hope it was not too boring or dragging for you to read._

_This is the beginning of the last leg of the journey, the final part of the story. Thank you for your support and keep on reading. The end approaches._

_Please read and leave some reviews! Here is the deal: since reviews really inspire me, the more reviews, the faster the updates. Thank you._


	19. Part Three, Chapter 2

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender" – among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

Through the swirling mist of the Spirit World, the young Avatar and the banished Fire Lady traveled, leaving the shadowy figure of the giant behind. When Aang turned to look back at the humongous person as he settled back into his former position, as still and silent as the sculpture he originally was. Aang sensed that the strangely gentle creature heaved a small sigh before turning completely stationary. The Avatar felt (or his spirit felt) a hand on his shoulder and he turned back to Ursa, who was leading the way with a sympathetic smile on her pale, bluish face.

Seeing her spirit form, Aang couldn't feel a pang of sadness. His eyes showed his grief and Ursa asked him what was wrong.

"If you're here with me now," the Avatar asked (almost afraid to hear the answer), "does that mean that you're..."

"I am not dead, if that's what you want to know," Ursa interrupted with an understanding look.

The young Avatar heaved a sigh of relief, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He was just so unsure and sad about how the others, Zuko most especially, would feel to know that Ursa was dead. Another loss would be a blow to the young, kind-hearted Avatar, he who had already lost so much. Then, after recovering from mingled shock and relief, Aang looked curiously to the regal lady (who had been quietly observing him), and opened his mouth to ask a question when she (once again) showed that she was way ahead of him.

"And if you were wondering how I can be here with you now," Ursa began, pre-empting Aang's inquiry, "then I suppose I owe you some sort of explanation."

Surprised again at being overtaken once again, Aang smiled and nodded politely. Ursa motioned for him to walk with her, and they walked together to materializing groves and strange trees which were common sights in the Spirit World. Aang was well accustomed to the surroundings but was surprised to see that Ursa seemed similarly accustomed to them as well. Apparently, this was not Lady Ursa's first time in the Spirit World, a fact which made the Avatar all the more eager to learn how she could do this.

"As you have already been told," Ursa began the explanation, "you and I share a special connection, Aang. I am Avatar Roku's granddaughter and am therefore somehow related to you."

"Yes, I am aware of that," Aang answered with a smile, "and I have yet to find the opportunity to call Zuko my great-grandson."

"I'm sure you would enjoy that exceedingly," Ursa replied with a soft chuckle, "although my son might not be particularly pleased with it."

"That's true," Aang replied with a lighthearted grin.

He found comfort and peace in the lady's presence and he found that he was a lot less confused now that he had a familiar figure by his side. Fortunately, she was able to acquaint him with what had been happening to the rest of the world during his absence. She told him about the successful treaties and alliances between the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom. She also told him about the siege and re-conquering of Ba Sing Se, the progress of which she had been updated on by her sister through their inexplicable and unique manner of communication.

Aang seemed particularly bothered by the last piece of news, even though he heard that his friends had successfully re-taken Ba Sing Se. The Avatar could not help but feel a twinge of guilt about not being able to contribute to such a decisive victory.

"I'm supposed to be the one restoring peace and balance to the world," the young airbender said with a sigh, "but here I am, on a wild field trip, and I don't even know what I have set out to find here, while my friends are doing all the work. I have been very negligent."

"Do not feel guilty about not being involved in these recent great battles of our time," Ursa consoled him, "though it is your responsibility to restore peace and balance to our war-torn world, it is not a responsibility that rests solely on your shoulders. We are all accountable for this world as well and while you are here finding the answers that will help you fulfill your destiny, it is the chance for others to step up and to prove themselves worthy of fighting by your side."

"You're right," Aang conceded, "and thank you for your words of encouragement. I can see why it was so hard for Zuko to lose you."

"Doubly hard for me to have to leave him," Ursa replied in a more somber tone, "but there are certain things we cannot erase in our past."

Aang nodded in understanding. And then, once again, he raised the question of how Ursa was able to walk with him in the Spirit World even if she had not yet died. Recalling herself, the lady firebender proceeded with her explanation.

"Anyway," Ursa continued, "you have also been told, of course, that while my twin sister Melisande is the firebending prodigy, I am the one with the gift of foresight. And with such a gift come unique and unfathomable spiritual powers. When I was a young girl, I once fell ill and everyone had believed that I would not make it through the night. But while all the members of my family had fretted and worried over my wellbeing, I found myself wandering in a strange and magical place, unlike any place I had ever been to before. And then, to my surprise, I encountered someone with whom you are very well acquainted."

And before either Aang could ask whom or Melisande could tell him the name of this mysterious stranger, the person in question appeared in front of them. The figure of the spirit gradually materialized, the details of his person acquiring sharpness and clarity. And, much to Aang's delight, before him stood Avatar Roku himself.

While Ursa bowed reverently to her grandfather, Aang ran forward and couldn't resist giving the old man's spirit a warm hug. After all the trials and tribulations the younger Avatar had been through recently, it was a comfort to be with a familiar face again. The aged firebender smiled at his younger self's exuberance and then, Roku turned his eyes towards the bowed figure before him. He placed a hand on Ursa's shoulder and asked her to rise. She did so very respectfully.

Putting hands on both of the lady's shoulders, Avatar Roku smiled proudly at Ursa and said, "It is good to see you again, granddaughter."

Ursa smiled back demurely while Aang expressed how glad he was to see them all together in the Spirit World.

"Lately," the new Avatar told his predecessor, "I've been in great need of your advice and counsel. The time draws near for me to face the Fire Lord and yet there are still struggling forces in my heart. I don't know how I can possibly defeat him and I don't know that if I am strong enough to face him, I can actually take his life."

"Difficult questions indeed," Roku told the young airbender, "and even more difficult to answer. But you are not here on a whimsical visit and it our task to help you find the answers to those questions as you go along. My granddaughter Ursa is able to guide you here in the Spirit World because of our connection as Avatars, and her special gift of foresight and astral projection. Like you, she is able to leave her body and journey here, although not for as long as you can."

"But I will be here to guide you as long as it is within my power," Ursa comforted Aang. The airbender nodded gratefully.

"I have escorted you here to meet Avatar Roku," Ursa continued, "but there is still one other person whom you must meet before I leave you."

And with that, Ursa motioned to a shimmering figure, materializing in front of them. Aang squinted to get a better view. And when the person's identity was finally visible, the young airbender couldn't help but stare in shock, with tears of joy unconsciously flowing down his cheeks. And, then, with a large bound forward, Aang raced straight into the arms of his old master and dearest friend, Monk Gyatso.

The spirit of the aged airbender laughed in his usual, benevolent way as he embraced his former pupil. The two airbenders reveled in each other's presence while the two firebenders looked on with grave smiles.

"One of the perks of being the Avatar," Roku commented to his granddaughter, "is that somehow, you are always able to see the people you love, even though they have long passed."

Ursa through a sideways glance at the tall, majestic figure of her grandfather and couldn't help but note a hint of mingled sadness and acceptance in his voice. She understood that even the wisest and most powerful beings on the earth were also capable of feeling loss. And in fact, since they were wise and powerful, and therefore more disposed to prevent tragedies through their wisdom and strength, bereavement was always much harder on them than on ordinary human beings. And watching as the two airbenders began to talk to each other in animated tones, genuinely happy to be with one another again, Ursa thought that when loss was at its most painful, reunions were all the sweeter.

A paranormal breeze blew through the shimmering vines of the Spirit forest and along with the shifting of the air; Ursa felt a slight shifting in her being. Looking down at her bluish pale palms, she noticed that her spirit form was flickering ever so slightly. Understanding the implications, she reverently took her leave of her grandfather. Avatar Roku nodded to her with acknowledgement and once more expressed how proud he was of her and her family.

"It is you and yours who will redeem the mistakes made by my generation," Roku told her, "and I have already seen that atonement has been achieved by your son."

"I am grateful for your kind words, revered grandfather," Ursa replied, "and I can only hope that we will live up to your expectations."

"No need to worry about that," Roku said with a benevolent smile, "with what all of you have endured, you have long since exceeded my expectations."

"Thank you," was what Ursa answered, moved by her ancestor's faith in her family. This made her all the more determined to do whatever she could to help the Avatar, and the world.

The lady walked towards where the aged monk and his pupil were exchanging stories and laughs together. Reluctant to intrude on such a joyful reunion, despite her quickly fading spirit, Ursa waited politely on the side as Monk Gyatso and Aang recalled many fond memories together. It was the elderly airbender who had noticed her first and he had told his pupil that the lady wished to take her leave. Recalling his manners, Aang walked towards Ursa and expressed his gratitude.

"I do not have the power to linger here any longer," Ursa explained to the Avatar, "now that I've successfully guided and escorted you to those who shall be of more help to you, I am being summoned back to our world, where you will surely return very soon. But for now, I must leave you."

Unable to reply with such formalities, instead, Aang simply gave Ursa a warm hug and thanked her profusely for guiding him in the Spirit World.

"I am so glad that we share a spiritual connection," Aang told her, "but I'm even happier that we can still be very good friends back in the living world. Please give my regards to all my friends and please tell them that I have no intention of abandoning them."

"I'm sure they already know that," Ursa answered.

"I know," Aang replied with determination, "but please just tell them just the same. I want to make sure that everyone knows that I have not been side-tracked from my purpose, that no matter what, I will defeat the Fire Lord on the day the comet arrives."

Ursa nodded in understanding and made a final bow. And with that, her spiritual figure dissolved into shimmering dust until there was no more.

--

"There they are!"

They had heard the yelling long before their ships had been properly anchored on the shore. Once again, the rendezvous point was the crescent-shaped beach in one of the remote areas of the Fire Nation. There, a large fleet of Water Tribe ships had gathered as well as Earth Kingdom vessels (of the rebels) and new underwater traveling machines designed and invented by Sokka and the Mechanist respectively. After a long journey by sea, the Allied Forces had finally arrived.

"Oh, Sokka," Katara said, shaking her head with embarrassment as the boat pulled into the shore. Beside her, Zuko gave the waterbender an amused look, before turning to see her brother running across the shore, waving excitedly at her. The leader of the Kyoshi Warriors followed behind, an equally embarrassed look on her face. But despite her disapproval of her brother's greeting, Katara was very excited to see Sokka again. There had only been two occasions on which the two Water Tribe siblings had been separated from each other for extended periods of time. The first had been when Katara and Zuko had been mysteriously transported to Melisande's island of exile. And the second had been when the group had split up after the eclipse, to go on separate missions. So naturally, whether or not they would admit it openly, Katara and Sokka were very eager to see each other once more.

Other familiar faces called from the shore and Katara's face lit up when she saw her father's figure standing beside her brother's. Hakoda put an arm on his son's shoulder (hopefully to calm the boy down) and then waved with dignity at his daughter.

Eager to see her family again, Katara took a deep breath, and raised her arms, waterbending the waves so that the ship would pull into shore much quicker. And as soon as the anchor was dropped the waterbender smiled at Zuko before jumping onto shore, not minding that she was getting soaked (she was a waterbending master, was that even an issue?) and running straight into her family's arms. Her father and brother embraced her warmly, and after a few minutes, even Suki was pulled into the group hug. The Kyoshi Warrior was moved and slightly embarrassed by the gesture, and a small blush crept onto her pale cheeks.

"You're part of the family now, remember?" Katara reassured the girl, pulling her closer into the hug.

All the other passengers had began disembarking and running towards their old friends and family members. Allies began introducing themselves to each other while others shook hands warmly with their new acquaintances. They all came from different backgrounds and cultures but on that day, they were united by one common desire: peace. And the harmony and unity that transcended the barriers of the Four Nations was truly a wonder to behold.

The moment Jet had jumped down onto the beach; he heard the familiar shouts of his dear friends from the Freedom Fighters. The bushy-haired rebel looked with joy and incredulity at the figures of Pipsqueak, and the Duke running towards him. Longshot and Smellerbee followed behind their leader, equally surprised by the warm welcome. The group of fighters embraced each other and began exchanging stories and pleasantries. In the midst of the chaotic reunion, Jet smiled contentedly. He still had a family.

Long-haired Haru disembarked from his ship with a grave countenance, still musing over what had happened in Ba Sing Se. But his mood changed tremendously when he caught sight of the familiar figure of his father and when he heard his name being shouted. The earthbender smiled again after such a long time of having a long face. For a few minutes, he decided that he would forget the unpleasant events in the walled city and instead revel and enjoy this moment of seeing his family again. For now, that was all that mattered to him.

As everyone began to talk loudly and excitedly with one another, the air became very festive with all the families being reunified. Watching this lovely phenomenon, Zuko smiled albeit slightly sadly. After a few minutes, someone stood beside him and when the firebender looked down to see who it was; he saw a pair of small but dirty feet and realized that it was Toph. She didn't look particularly happy about the scene. Having learned of her family history, he understood why and felt slightly sad for the tough earthbender.

"I never really enjoyed family reunions," she commented to him dryly, "mine were never this fun."

"Tell me about it," Zuko replied, understanding her point, and thinking about his own family.

But all of a sudden, Toph's toes wiggled on the ground and the blind earthbender let out a shout of incredulity. Zuko turned to her with concern.

"It can't be!" she said, her sightless eyes growing wide. But the vibrations she felt on the ground were unmistakable.

And for the first time in his whole acquaintance with her, Zuko saw Toph look dumbfounded and shocked. Then, from the large crowd, two figures excused themselves, asking about someone, and were soon directed towards where Zuko and Toph were standing. Zuko turned to look at the new arrivals and saw a couple of well-dressed, seemingly wealthy Earth Kingdom aristocrats walking towards them. And when the firebender saw their expressions as they caught sight of Toph, he knew at once that the couple must be Toph's parents.

The small earthbender continued to stand very still even as her mother and father approached her quickly, the lady kneeling down and putting her arms around her daughter. Toph still seemed too shocked to react even as tears of joy flowed down her mother's face and her father expressed his joy and relief at seeing his little girl safe and sound.

"Mom, Dad," Toph said in a small and hesitant voice, "what are you doing here?"

"Oh, Toph," Lady Bei Fong replied in an emotional voice, "your father and I have been so worried about you for these past few months. We couldn't just sit still at home waiting for news of your whereabouts. We had to go look for you ourselves."

"Mom," Toph said simply, moved by her mother's emotions. For the first time, the witty earthbender had no quick rejoinder and merely placed her hands around her mother, returning the warm embrace sincerely.

Lord Bei Fong laid a hand on his daughter's shoulder and smiled proudly at her.

"Forgive us, Toph," the father apologized, "for so long, we hid you from the world, in our efforts to protect you. I'm sorry for not understanding you, for not paying more attention to the wonderful young lady you were becoming. We spent too much time trying to protect you that we neglected you and never really saw you for the strong person that you were."

"When you ran away," Lady Bei Fong tearfully told her daughter, "that was the time we realized just how foolish we had been, and just how much we missed you. We really love you, Toph, we really do. And we've been doing all we can to find you so that we could show you that we can be better parents than we were to you."

"Mom, Dad," Toph replied, not being able to suppress her tears any longer, "I love you too. And I understand why you did what you did. I know that you were only trying to protect me; to choose what you thought was best for me. But I'm so happy that you finally understand and love the real me. I've missed you so much."

And with that, the Bei Fong family was reunited, all the rough patches sorted out, and all the doubts and regrets set aside. And Toph realized then, that though she had been very happy traveling with the Avatar, having exciting adventures, and meeting interesting people, there always seemed something missing. Being enveloped by her parents' embrace, the blind earthbender smiled and finally realized what had been missing all along.

Iroh walked beside his nephew and the old man smiled as well when he saw the earthbender reconciled with her family. Laying a hand on Zuko's shoulder, the old man nodded and Zuko continued smiling as he watched Toph with her family. Since both firebenders had a soft spot for the young earthbender, they felt genuinely glad for her.

On another side of the crescent-shaped shore, two people had disembarked and were regarding the scenes of reunifications and reconciliations with varied perspectives. The two figures stood slightly apart from the rest of the group, observing everyone and assessing the situation silently.

Ty Lee wiped some tears from her eyes as she watched the emotional scenes. The circus acrobat couldn't help but smile and sigh as she saw the heartwarming reunions and reconciliations between the rebel fighters and their family members and friends.

"I can't help but envy them," the acrobat told her friend, but not with any ill-will, "it's such a beautiful scene."

"It's also quite ironic, isn't it?" Mai commented with an uninterested sigh.

"What are you talking about, Mai?" her friend asked, raising her eyebrow. Mai sighed again and rolled her eyes.

"It's ironic," Mai explained as if doing so was tedious, "that we who were born and raised in the Fire Nation return to our native shore and yet we don't get the same warm welcome as this bunch of foreigners. Our families aren't here to greet us, are they?"

"I guess you're right as usual, Mai," Ty Lee replied with a longing sigh, her eyes turning again towards the rejoicing families, "you're absolutely right."

Sighing once more, Mai glanced around, trying to find a familiar face. Her eyes rested on Zuko and Iroh. And then, the pale, dark-haired girl noticed that Melisande had gone to stand beside the two other firebenders.

"Family reunions," Melisande commented with a sigh to Iroh and Zuko as she joined in watching everyone else hug and embrace their relatives, "you've got to love them."

Iroh and Zuko sighed as well as they continued watching the people around them. The three of them knew very well that even if their own family was complete, there would be no such scenes of joy between them. There wouldn't even be smiles. And though they weren't exactly that unhappy with their current circumstances, the three firebenders couldn't help but feel a tinge of envy.

"Well," Melisande said, breaking the uneasy silence that had threatened to grow, "let me just say that I simply cannot wait for _our _family reunion. It's bound to be very interesting."

Iroh laughed heartily at this and Zuko even managed a small smile.

"That," Iroh replied with a sly smile, "I can completely agree with."

"Come over here."

And then, all of a sudden, Zuko felt someone tugging at his arm. The firebender turned to see Katara dragging him towards her family. She had an insistent expression on her face and he saw that he had no choice. He looked back at Iroh and Melisande, but his aunt and uncle merely grinned and shrugged at him.

Zuko wondered what this was about. And then, without warning, the former Fire Nation prince felt himself being enclosed in a wide and warm embrace by three members of the Water Tribe and one Kyoshi Warrior. Turning to look at Suki who rolled her eyes and smiled, Zuko shrugged and returned the group hug as best as he could. But all he managed was a rather awkward gesture since Zuko had never really joined any group hugs in his lifetime.

Zuko vaguely heard a teasing "awww" coming from where Melisande and Iroh were standing but the younger firebender couldn't turn to glare at them. At least, they wouldn't be able to see the crimson blush that had spread on his face.

"But why?" was all he managed to say, a bit breathlessly, since he was so taken aback by the hug.

"Don't be silly, Zuko," Katara reprimanded him playfully, "you're part of the family now, remember?"

"I doubt he'll ever forget it, after that," Suki teased with a giggle, "I know I won't."

"I don't hug guys unless they're family," Sokka said matter-of-factly, "I hope we're clear on that."

"And I never imagined I would be adding such diverse people to my family," Hakoda announced proudly. Zuko and Suki looked at the Water Tribe chief gratefully.

"Just think," Hakoda said, "the son of the Fire Lord, and the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors. This has been a very interesting year."

The entire Water Tribe extended family laughed at this. And Zuko couldn't help but feel his heart swell at being so warmly welcomed into Katara's family. As they all exchanged pleasantries, the firebender felt her hand slip into his. She gave him a sideward glance and winked at him. He smiled back and squeezed her hand.

Hakoda smiled at his two children, feeling prouder of them than ever. And while Sokka, Suki, Katara, and Zuko were busy exchanging tales of their exploits in the recent days, the chief of the Southern Water Tribe glanced carefully at another person who was watching the family reunion with interest. Their eyes met and while Melisande gave Hakoda a curt nod of acknowledgment, the Water Tribe warrior smiled at the firebending master warmly. Melisande looked away and was met with a mischievous grin on Iroh's bearded face. The lady firebender rolled her eyes.

"Don't even think about it, Iroh," she warned him, "we're far too old for this kind of thing."

"As far as I know," the old man replied, winking at his sister-in-law impishly, "in such cases, age does not matter."

Melisande was about to fire a retort when something occurred. Just then, the joyful reunions of the various families of the Allied Forces were abruptly interrupted by the arrival of an unexpected visitor. Cries of shock and fear were heard as a large, fierce, furry beast leaped into the midst of the crowd, roaring and flicking a long and quick tongue in various directions. The creature seemed to have no eyes but it had a nose that was actively sniffing all around, as if in search of something, or someone.

And riding the huge creature was a fierce-looking, pale young woman clad all in black, with her black hair pinned with a skull clip while some of it covered her face. She looked around the crowd with narrowed, dark eyes, as if sorting each and every person, in search of a single, specific face.

"Wait a minute," Sokka commented, putting his hand on his chin and frowning, "she looks very, very familiar."

"Jun!" Iroh cried with excitement, while Zuko rolled his eyes and slapped his forehead and Melisande was looking at the older man with a raised eyebrow. Katara looked at Zuko warily but he shrugged innocently at her.

"I remember now!" Sokka said loudly, his face lighting up with recognition, "she's that bounty hunter that Zuko hired to find Aang!"

"Back in the good old days," Zuko answered sarcastically, rolling his eyes. Sokka glared at him while Katara and Suki chuckled softly, covering their mouths.

"Well, what brings you here, Miss Bounty Hunter?" Melisande addressed Jun, the lady firebender intrigued by the intimidating looking woman.

"I'm tracking down a traitor," Jun replied curtly, still coaxing her Shirshu to find the person with the scent they had been given.

Melisande laughed heartily at this, making the bounty hunter narrow her eyes warily at the firebender.

"Then, you might as well take most of us in," Melisande replied with a smile, "after all; nearly all of us here are traitors in one way or another."

This statement caused some laughter among many members of the alliance and a loud cheer went out. But Jun was not without a sense of humor so she was not taken aback by such a quip.

"Be that as it may," the tough bounty hunter replied wryly, "I have been commissioned to capture one specific traitor."

At this, the Shirshu got twitchy and began running towards the middle of one crowd of rebels.

"And I think we've found him," Jun said with a triumphant smirk as the Shirshu pounced on someone standing in the middle of the crowd. The creature flicked its tongue and in an instant, the hapless man fell paralyzed to the ground.

--

At the capital of the Fire Nation, all the Fire Lord's armies had assembled at the airship hangar. At this moment, every single Fire Nation soldier was bowed down as the palanquin bearers brought a very important figure towards the largest of the airships. No one dared to move or speak as the significant personage was being ushered to the front.

A regal and imposing figure, clad in the most luxurious and elaborate royal garments ever made. The few people who dared look up only saw the back of their leader as the Fire Sages laid a grand and very unique crown upon the royal head. It was a historic day for not just the Fire Nation but for the entire world.

For a supreme leader had just been declared, he who had the power to challenge the Avatar himself and there could be no one to challenge him. Today, there is another person, the first person other than the Avatar, who could control all four elements. All his subjects present at the ceremony trembled in fear and blind adoration as their opulent lord stood up, his magnificent robes flowing beneath him.

Words echoed in the air, unfamiliar, new words. But these words were powerful, almost deadly. A title never taken before and a title that defied all other authority.

"Phoenix King Ozai."

But just as the newly crowned Phoenix Lord was about to board the war balloon that was to lead his grand fleet in razing the Earth Kingdom to the ground, a disruption went through the crowd. Cries of fear and shock were heard as a solitary but menacing figure made her way through the crowd of soldiers.

And despite the presence of the entire army of the Fire Nation, this person was still able to make it through to the presence of the Phoenix Lord. Ozai made no move to flee from this newly arrived foe. Instead, he merely watched in slight amusement as fierce blue flames and lightning annihilated a fraction of the army.

Then, finally, father and daughter stood face to face. Azula no longer looked like the defeated soldier that she had been in Ba Sing Se. She seemed rejuvenated by the prospect of facing the grandest battle in her entire life. The princess was in full armor, not a hair out of place, her eyes blazing, and her face set in grim determination.

Ozai was no less imposing and he returned her fierce gaze with an equally (if not more) intense one.

"Why, Azula, my dear, I see that you've finally come home," Phoenix King Ozai said sarcastically, "thank goodness you're safe."

--

_Things are going to get very very interesting from here on. After all, the story is moving towards the end and there are still so many things that have to happen before the curtain falls._

_So very sorry for the delay in uploading this chapter. I was trying to update last night but my computer refused to cooperate. Anyway, here it is._

_Thank you very, very much for all your reviews and support. I didn't think that my plea would be so effective. But sorry to say, the next (and last set) of updates will be coming but not as fast as the others. The next events are really intense and long and I will have to devote a lot of time to writing them. Battle scenes and dialogue are extremely difficult to write and require time and effort, both which I have in short supply. Unfortunately, my midterm exam week has extended until the first week of September and I am still focusing on my academics. I don't want to rush writing the last few chapters because that would be insulting you and I want to do my best in delivering work that is up to the standard, hopefully. So please, I beg your indulgence, please be patient with me a little longer. This story shall be completed and I am very very grateful for your support. I will do my best not to disappoint you, you may be assured of that._

_Thank you and until the next update. :)_


	20. Part Three, Chapter 3

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender" – among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

"Listen, Jun, we'll pay you double to leave the man alone," Zuko bargained with the bounty hunter persistently.

Jun merely gave him an amused look, as if she was speaking to a child, and shook her head vehemently. Zuko's shoulders fell.

"No can do, Prince Pouty," the pale bounty hunter replied, "I have a binding contract and it isn't one of my habits to act unprofessional."

Zuko raised his eyebrows, as was the reaction of the other people who had heard the interesting exchange. But the young firebender had had enough experience with the headstrong bounty hunter to know that she was not to be trifled with. And neither was her Shirshu to be underestimated. Nevertheless, he did not wish for their number to be decreased, even by one person. The timing was rather off but Zuko knew that he had to strike up a deal with Jun somehow.

An ignorant person in the crowd had dared make some comment about the irony of Jun's professionalism considering her illegal occupation but that someone was quickly struck down with a rapid flick of the Shirshu's tongue. Jun said nothing and she merely stroked her pet's back with satisfaction. After that, no one else dared to make any "wise guy" comments about the new arrival.

Meanwhile, as Zuko was struggling with the negotiations with Jun, Katara and Toph were tending to the bounty hunter's target. The waterbender was able to bend most of the Shirshu's poison out of the man's system and with a few well-placed (but painful) jabs from Toph, he regained freedom of movement again. He groaned slightly after the earthbender had chucked rocks at him but he muttered some thanks to the two girls. They smiled at him, and Katara wondered why exactly he was being hunted down by anyone.

He was an ordinary looking Fire Nation citizen, light-skinned, with golden eyes, and short, black hair tied in the traditional topknot. He only looked about several years older than Zuko but he already had streaks of gray hair on his head and his eyes had a slightly sunken look, as if he had aged a lot faster than everyone else. The man wasn't particularly muscular or bulky, in fact, he was rather skinny and looked a bit frail. But despite his weak appearance, there was a unique glint in his eyes that indicated that there was more to him that one saw at first glance. Katara had often seen such a sharp and knowing look in Melisande, Zuko, Iroh, and even Azula. Clearly this man was more than what he seemed.

"Listen, Jun," Iroh told the bounty hunter jovially, "why don't we have some tea while we work out some sort of a deal?"

"I don't know about working out a deal, old man," Jun replied, "but I will take you up on the tea. But mind you, I'm not letting my prisoner out of my sight."

"Don't worry," Zuko assured her, "he's not going anywhere."

Zuko walked towards where Katara, Toph, and Melisande were talking to the prisoner in question. Sokka and Suki joined them as well. The man glanced at Zuko briefly before turning back to the conversation.

"What is your name?" Katara asked the man, "and what have you done for anyone to have you hunted down?"

"My name is Notho Zaides," the man replied gravely.

"And I can attest to what he has done," Melisande answered for him, "he's only the best and most reliable spy I have in my network. And he's been sneaking out much vital information from right under the Fire Lord's nose, at great risk to his life. And yet, he has never yet been caught for his so-called treachery. Except now, of course, but it took them long enough."

"You give me too much credit, my lady," Notho Zaides said quietly, his head bowed.

"You're too modest," Melisande teased him, putting a hand on his shoulder, "but that is your nature, I suppose. Nevertheless, you are still one of the rebels' most valuable members."

Notho Zaides bowed in acknowledgment. The others began to regard the thin man with some amount of reverence and awe.

"Impressive," Zuko praised Notho Zaides, "not many people can escape detection from my father for very long."

"It wasn't easy," Notho Zaides replied, looking Zuko in the eyes, "but I managed."

And at that moment, when their golden eyes met, Zuko had the inexplicable feeling that the man was familiar somehow. They had never met, to be sure, but there was something, just something about it. But Zuko put his thoughts aside when Katara spoke.

"Notho Zaides," Katara repeated the name, "no offense, but that's a strange name."

"I know," Notho Zaides replied with an apologetic smile, "some of my other acquaintances call me Nozomi."

Hearing this, the others raised their eyebrows. Nozomi gave a shrug, indicating he had no idea where that came from. He seemed a relatively nonchalant fellow.

"But we just call him Noz," Toph interrupted matter-of-factly. "Noz" groaned inwardly but smiled good naturedly and everyone had a good laugh.

"I'm sorry to cause so much trouble," Noz said with a regretful bow, "I'm sorry to say that I'm not much of a firebender and I will be but of little help in the coming battle."

"Again with the false modesty, Noz," Melisande teased, "and don't worry about it. We've all been through worse than this. And I'm certain that things will work themselves out."

"Thank you," Noz replied gratefully, "for I'm not ready to die quite yet."

Zuko, Melisande, and Toph sensed something foreboding about this but they dismissed the feeling quickly. After all, no one was really looking forward to the days ahead. Toph teased Noz about being so honestly morbid and the group had another laugh.

After a while, Iroh and Jun seemed to have reached some sort of understanding and the bounty hunter nodded in agreement before getting ready to leave without her catch.

As she passed by the incredulous Zuko and Katara, she gave them a sly glance.

"I see you've worked things out with your girl friend," the bounty hunter commented knowingly.

Melisande, Suki, and Toph merely burst into laughter while Sokka looked at Jun suspiciously. Even Noz managed a soft chuckle. And of course, both Zuko and Katara had turned bright crimson and looked away from each other in embarrassment. Jun did not look any bit interested.

"I guess you could say that," Zuko replied softly, blushing brightly but smiling at Katara. The waterbender smiled bashfully back.

Jun merely shrugged and got on her Shirshu, coaxing the large beast gently.

Iroh walked up to her and said a few words about the deal. Though the others strained to hear what was being exchanged, no one was really able to catch any word. Jun then simply nodded and with a yank of the reigns, the Shirshu reared its feet.

"You had better keep up your end of the bargain, Grampa," Jun warned the beaming Iroh, her eyes narrowing at the firebender, "otherwise, the next time it might be you I'll be hunting down."

"You can be assured," Iroh told her sincerely, "that I am a man of my word."

"Whatever," Jun said before riding off into the distance, the Shirshu parting the crowd of rebels.

Iroh returned to a group of incredulous and curious people. He smiled, loving the reactions on their faces, and enjoying the moment of utter mystery that he was causing.

"What exactly did you tell her, Uncle?" Zuko asked the old man warily. Everyone else nodded and waited in suspense for the retired general's response.

"That's our little secret," Iroh replied mischievously and mysteriously. The others groaned. Something told them that they really did not want to know.

--

"This is your final test, Aang," Monk Gyatso told his pupil kindly, "and I believe that you will be able to go through with it."

The two airbenders were strolling across a serene part of the Spirit World, an area that looked vaguely like one of the old Air Temples. The familiar surroundings gave the troubled young Avatar a greater sense of peace and the presence of his beloved master was a profound comfort. Somehow, with Gyatso once more by his side, Aang felt buoyed and encouraged, almost as free as he had felt before he had learned that he was the Avatar. After Ursa had returned to the world of the living, Roku had disappeared as well but the lingering echo of his voice said that the old firebender would return soon. Aang also understood that Roku would never truly leave him. After all, being one of his past lives, Roku would always be inside him and Aang understood that he could call on Roku or any of his other past lives whenever he was in dire need. For the moment, the young monk wanted to savor the opportunity he had to be with his old master again.

They had spent a long time simply reminiscing on the good old days and recounting their more amusing escapades together at the Southern Air Temple. For the first time in a long time, Aang had allowed himself to truly relax and to enjoy a moment unburdened by the tasks that lay ahead of him. He set everything aside so that he would have an opportunity to clear out his energy pools once again to better facilitate getting into the Avatar state.

As they walked together, Gyatso's spirit was able to sense all the pain and doubt that seemed trapped inside his young pupil and so the elderly monk strove to give Aang a stronger sense of himself, as well as all the encouragement and praise (and humor as well) that he had been unable to give the boy when Aang had run away a hundred years ago.

The old airbender knew, as well as anyone, the importance of balance, especially in the Avatar's life. And seeing that the past few months had been full of chaos and inner torment for the boy, despite the presence of his good friends and allies, Gyatso decided that Aang needed this time in the Spirit World to go back to being the happy, joyous child that he had always been. A true disciple of the Air Nomad monks, Aang was averse to the idea of violence and bloodshed and wanted the least conflict that was possible. And Monk Gyatso, being one of the airbenders who taught Aang these concepts of peace and non-violence, truly understood the turmoil that the boy was going through with regard to his imminent showdown with the Fire Lord.

No matter how close Aang's current friends were to him, Gyatso knew that since they all came from a vastly different background than that of the Air Nomads, they would never fully comprehend Aang's gentle and passive nature. Unfortunately, the destiny imposed upon the young boy was so counter-intuitive that despite Aang's great heart and unsurpassed talent in bending all four elements, he was still torn inside.

And so, after having some moments of joy and abandon together, they had to turn back to the serious matters at hand. It grieved Gyatso to have to return such a weighty burden to his beloved student but he knew that it had to be done. And the old monk was thankful that he had been given an opportunity to properly guide Aang and to give him encouragement in the young boy's darkest hour. At least now, the old monk would be here for his pupil when he was most needed by the latter.

The two airbenders sat on the spirit weed-grown balcony of one of the old temples and began to discuss the serious matters. Aang was reluctant to leave the sphere of ignorant bliss that they had been walking in for the past few hours but he knew that he could not (and should not) postpone his true task for very long. People needed him and he did not intend to fail them again.

"But I don't know if I'm ready," Aang answered hesitantly as his teacher mentioned the "final test."

"I've been training so hard for the past few months," Aang continued, "mastering all four elements as fast as I could. And I've had really great teachers, too. But even if they tell me that there is nothing more that they can teach me, that I've truly become an expert in bending all the elements, a part of me still feels that whatever abilities I have right now will not be enough fro me to face the Fire Lord."

"And what bothers you the most," the old man said gently, "is thinking whether you should take the Fire Lord's life or not."

Aang's grey eyes widened at hearing the hateful option said out loud. He gave a nervous and pained glance at his old teacher before nodding gratefully. Monk Gyatso knew him well.

"Everyone is telling me that that is the right thing to do," Aang said, "that it is my destiny to kill him. And when you think about it, the world really would be a better off place without such a cruel and vicious tyrant waging war and destroying people's lives. And yet, despite all these considerations, I still don't see what gives _me _the right to take anyone's life, no matter how terrible that person is?"

"You are wise to see that, Aang," Gyatso remarked with grave approval, "and I am glad that even after all these years, and after all the influences of the other cultures, you are still a peace-loving airbender at heart."

"I don't think any power of earth can take that away from me," Aang replied with a small smile.

"You have learned your lessons very well," Monk Gyatso praised, "even at a very young age you have already understood many profound things about life and death. And for that I am proud of you. You know that you mustn't kill the Fire Lord and you are absolutely right."

Aang heaved a great sigh of relief. That had been the answer he had been waiting for and no one had ever given it to him until now. It seemed like a great load had been lifted from his shoulders. At last, here was someone who truly understood his predicament. He looked up at his old master with infinite gratitude. Gyatso smiled back sympathetically at his pupil.

"I'm so glad that you understand my dilemma," Aang told his teacher, "it has been plaguing me for so many sleepless nights now."

"I understand because I come from the same culture," Gyatso replied, "your friends, all victims of the war in their own ways, have not been taught the same way as we have taught you. That is why you shouldn't expect them to understand. It is more than enough that they are willing to support you whatever decision you might make."

"Which brings us to the next big question," Aang continued, "if I should not kill Fire Lord Ozai, how can I defeat him and prevent him from ever doing any harm to anyone ever again?"

"First you must understand that you can never completely prevent anyone from doing anything they wish to do," Gyatso explained gravely, "for as long as they live, they will find ways of doing things. However, you can make it so that such circumstances will be highly unlikely."

"I'm listening," Aang said, his eyes narrowed on the old man's benevolent and wise face, the young Avatar listening carefully to every word the monk uttered. Gyatso sighed before revealing the latest developments on the Fire Lord's powers to Aang.

"Before we talk about anything else," the monk instructed his student, "you must first overpower the Fire Lord. And this is where all your training in the four elements will come in. It is only then that you will decide what to do with him. For once he has been beaten at his own game, you have some measure of control over him and therefore, you may do as you wish, impose whatever preventive measures you have in mind that do not involve killing him."

"I understand," Aang answered respectfully, "Sozin's comet will give Fire Lord Ozai a tremendous boost in his firebending. But I'm a firebender too so whatever increase in power he will have, I will likewise experience. I suppose it is all a matter of finally putting all I've learned into practice."

"I'm afraid that it will be more difficult than you first imagined, Aang," the monk said in a sad tone.

"What do you mean?" Aang asked with concern.

"You may have noticed that when you arrived at the cave of the giant, it seemed like the Fire Lord had already been there," Gyatso said.

"That's right," Aang said with dismay, "and I also know that he holds the key that is supposed to liberate the giant. But I'm still curious as to why the giant continues to be imprisoned. Isn't he supposed to be freed and working for the Fire Lord now? But he still keeps waiting to be liberated."

"That's because it was never Ozai's destiny to use that key," Gyatso replied, "and in doing so, he has distorted the fabric of destiny. He has stolen what was rightfully yours, Aang. And only you can get it back. You must get it back."

"What was rightfully mine?" Aang asked perplexedly and with an inexplicable feeling of dread coming over him, "I don't understand. What are you talking about?"

"By unlocking the giant's chains with the ancient key," Gyatso explained, "Fire Lord Ozai has acquired the power that no other person except you must have: he can now control all four elements."

Aang's grey eyes widened and he couldn't help but feel overcome with some sense of hopelessness.

--

"We have to start moving out," Melisande announced to everyone, "as enjoyable as the reunions were, we did not gather together for that purpose alone."

The others nodded at her in agreement and quickly, the allied forces gathered around in a more organized manner. The few civilians who were present, Toph's parents included, were ushered to one side of the group and given an armed escort. Lord and Lady Bei Fong watched with amazement and pride as their daughter ordered and supervised her own group of earthbenders.

Meanwhile, all the other leaders, along with the Old Masters of the Order of the White Lotus began to divide and organize the people into specific groups. The leaders approached Sokka and the other strategists to confirm their assigned areas while the other officials briefed their people on the order of the operations. For while the group had prepared themselves to be as dynamic and adaptive to the circumstances as possible, they also wanted to have the comfort of a structured military strategy. After all, they were up against an army that had kept the entire world at bay for over a hundred years.

Chief Arnook and Master Pakku rallied their troops together to join Hakoda's men. The alliance of the two Water Tribes had been consolidated and the fighters from both tribes now stood together against one foe. Katara had joined her waterbending master and her father and Pakku frequently pointed Katara out as a good example to some of the fledgling waterbenders who had volunteered to join the battle. And Katara, for her part, was glad to be among waterbenders again and tried to balance out the younger benders' experience by giving them kind words and encouragement even as Pakku gave them sarcasm and criticism.

The forces from the Earth Kingdom were great as well. The Earth King's four most trusted generals led the troops from Ba Sing Se while King Bumi led his own men from Omashu. Toph, as mentioned, had her own retinue of talented earthbenders as well, some of them from the remote villages around the Earth Kingdom who had seen her prowess in Ba Sing Se and had decided to join her. Even her old opponents from Earth Rumble were now her allies although the blind bandit was not particularly fond of the Boulder and his antics. Nevertheless, he still made a pretty good ally.

Toph was surprised though when Haru joined her group and subordinated himself by allowing her to act as the leader. Despite the failed resistance when Azula conquered Ba Sing Se, Toph knew that Haru was still an effective and good leader. However, she also knew that many things had changed for the long-haired, mustached earthbender during his stay in Ba Sing Se. Although joyfully reunited with his father and other friends, Haru had become more serious and distracted. He always seemed to be in a strange mood and because of this change in his behavior, the others began to avoid him.

Only a few people really knew what was troubling Haru and none of them wanted to confront him about it because they saw no use in doing so. Toph knew about it, of course, since she could sense his beating heart with her feet. But she figured that this was not the time to tease anyone. Mai and Ty Lee were aware of it as well but they both knew how hopeless and one-sided his case was and Ty Lee honestly pitied the boy. Katara had some inkling of it but being the considerate and kind person she was, she decided to let him talk about it only when he was ready. And Zuko knew about it, of course, he had heard the confession himself, but the Fire Prince merely shook his head about the issue. Clearly Haru had such misfortune in love.

Suki, of course, led the contingent of the Kyoshi Warriors. Sokka was loath to part from his beloved but he knew that they had specific roles to play in the invasion. The Kyoshi Warriors had never stopped training and practicing and were all now eager for a fight. With such an elite group of fighters among them, many of the others felt more encouraged about the results of the battle.

Jet led the original team of Freedom Fighters as well as the rest of the troops who were non-benders. Alongside the bushy-haired leader was the swordmaster Piandao. All of them were determined to show just how useful and helpful they could be even if they had no bending. And though there had been some hesitation of the sides of both parties, eventually, Mai and Ty Lee had joined Jet's group. Although Melisande and Zuko had offered the two girls places in their own groups from the Fire Nation, Mai and Ty Lee had declined. Ty Lee had said that the firebenders were powerful enough and that she would prefer fighting alongside people who would need her abilities more. Mai simply shrugged.

The contingent from the Fire Nation had been split into two groups. One, composed of the rebels and deserters, was led by Jeong Jeong. And the other, a smaller group, had no leader, and was composed of the members of the Fire Nation Royal family, Zuko, Iroh, Melisande, and eventually Ursa. All the other members of the Allied Forces looked with awe and respect at the second group of firebenders. Although Melisande commanded her own …. of archers, and Iroh had his own army of firebenders ("just like the old days," the old man had said with sad reminiscence), they intended to face the Fire Lord first, and to prepare him (in whatever way they could) for the Avatar's coming. As for Zuko's role in the coming battles, it was still a mystery to the rest of the fighters. But whatever it was, the others all knew it would be very important.

Katara, in particular, worried greatly about this group. The waterbender could see their design quite clearly. This war had become some sort of family affair for them and they wanted closure, just as she had wanted for her mother's death. But the resolution of Zuko's family crises would entail so much more than a mere confrontation. And the waterbender was very concerned about the results.

So thus, the allied forces of the Four Nations had gathered, the greatest and most numerous army ever assembled against the Fire Nation. All of them had one goal – ending the war. And in that great number, only one crucial person was missing. But they all knew that he would come soon.

--

"Do not grieve over this too much, Aang," Gyatso consoled his crestfallen student who had sat in shocked silence for a few moments, "for Ozai has defied his own destiny and sooner or later, such defiance will lead to his ruin. There are still many things about power that he does not understand. You have learned to control and to accept yours. But the moment Ozai allows this immense power to consume him, it will destroy him."

Although partly encouraged by Gyatso's words, Aang couldn't help but feel all the more nervous about his situation. Now, he was up against not only a great firebender, but someone with the same abilities as his. What was more dangerous to ponder on was the fact that while they had equal power, Ozai would have no second thoughts about ending Aang's life. And as the Avatar, Aang couldn't let that happen. The world needed him now. And he did not want to disappoint them.

"Aang, Aang," Gyatso reminded the young Avatar, putting a hand on Aang's shoulder encouragingly. Aang looked at his master with emotion in his grey eyes. The old monk returned his gaze with sympathy.

"You must not allow yourself to fall into despair," Gyatso told Aang, "the time you have spent here was to counter the adverse effects of such dark thoughts. I only told you about Ozai so that you would know exactly what you were up against, and so that you would be able to face him with no more doubts or uncertainties in your heart."

"That's easier said than done," Aang said dejectedly

Aang sighed, trying to get a hold of himself and Gyatso could see that the young airbender was truly trying to follow his advice. The older monk put a hand on his pupil's shoulder and tried to calm him down.

"You had observed that even after Ozai turned the key into the lock, the giant remained captive, right?" Gyatso told his pupil.

Aang recalled that instance and nodded in reply to his master. The young Avatar remembered the stoic figure of the giant, still bound in his mighty chains, fettered and shackled to a dismal fate. The airbender had felt pity and sadness for this great being, and his sorrowful predicament. And yet, the giant had shown no despair or hopelessness. Instead, he had seemed – patient. As if he believed that if he waited long enough, he would soon be freed.

And the prophecy had decreed that the Avatar would free the giant. Aang's eyes widened with realization. He still had the power to free the giant. He looked excitedly at his old master and Gyatso nodded.

"But before you start talking about freeing the nice, friendly and humongous figure you saw in the cave," Gyatso said, pre-empting Aang's reaction, "I want you to truly understand who this giant is, and what he means to you. Who do you think he is, Aang?"

"I'm not sure," Aang replied after some serious thought, "at first I thought he was just a metaphor for something else but then I saw that he was a living, breathing being, I changed my mind. And then I thought that he was a great guardian spirit but that doesn't seem completely right. And now, he seems to be some kind of repository of power and yet he has his own feelings. He has turned out to be a really complicated entity and one I completely never expected at all."

"Think well, Aang, and reflect," Gyatso counseled the boy gravely, "and remember everything you know about him." Aang nodded and closed his eyes, recalling every gesture and every word ever uttered by the majestic being. Once again, the Avatar imagined the towering figure as it had addressed him, the giant man raising his manacled hands, as if begging for release and freedom.

"_Everything, you must do everything…. Everything has been taken from me. My people, my honor, my life, my freedom…only you can restore them to me…this is your duty…this is your destiny…I am meant to wait…and endure.."_

And as he reflected, Aang felt exactly like he did when he had gone to the mysterious swamp. Everything was connected. Energy flowed through everyone and everything. The whole world could be experienced and contained in the simplest of living organisms. All was one, in harmony with nature, one beating heart.

The Avatar opened his eyes with a start. He looked at Gyatso incredulously and the monk saw the understanding that had dawned upon the Avatar. Gyatso then nodded gravely.

"He is the world," Aang said with realization, his grey eyes growing wide, "and I am meant to save him, to free the world from the tyranny of the Fire Lord and from all the horrors of the war. Those are the chains that bind him, the shackles that only I have the power to break."

"And now that you finally understand," Gyatso said, "you know that the world must never fall into the hands of a dictator again. It must be liberated from its deadly chains of suffering and pain."

"I understand," Aang said with renewed and greater conviction, "and though the task ahead of me is difficult and fearsome, I shall face it."

Gyatso smiled proudly at the Avatar, so invigorated and determined to succeed. The old monk was glad to see just how much his pupil had grown up and though the old man was slightly sad about Aang's maturity, sad that the young boy would no longer be the carefree, joyful child that he had been, Gyatso was still happy about Aang's new found inner strength. The elderly airbender was certain that Aang was indeed ready to face the living monsters beyond the spirit world. Aang would truly fulfill his destiny and no one, not even the tyrannical Fire Lord, had the power to thwart that.

"You are not alone in this fight, you must always remember that," Gyatso reminded the young Avatar gently. Aang looked up at his master once again and then nodded.

All of a sudden, even while he was in the presence of his dearest and oldest friend, Aang's mind was flooded with images of all his current friends. By some combined power of both the Spirit World and the Avatar spirit, Aang could see all of them clearly in his mind's eye. The people of the different nations had banded together to help end the war. Although they depended greatly on him to defeat the Fire Lord, none of his friends were sitting idly by. They were doing everything they could to help and support him, and to save their world.

They were all there, in the crescent-shaped beach. Aang could see them. The allied forces had gathered together at last, a unified group against the Fire Nation. Right now they were preparing for battle, finalizing their plans, reviewing their strategies, suiting up, honing their weapons. They were his friends and they would help him in this mighty struggle. Katara, Sokka, Suki, and the rest of the Water Tribes were preparing their ships. Toph, Bumi, Haru and the other earthbenders were readying themselves as well. Then, Zuko, Iroh, Melisande, and the other rebels from the Fire Nation were preparing to leave. All of his friends and allies were there to support him, to face the same struggles and trials, to brave the same dangers. So it wouldn't be fair to keep them all waiting. After all, he had kept the people of the world waiting for a hundred years.

And as much as Aang enjoyed his time in the Spirit World with Monk Gyatso, the young Avatar knew that he had to return.

"I think it's time that I join them," Aang told his dear teacher, "thank you for everything that you've taught and shown me today, Gyatso. And thank you for just being here. I really missed you."

But Gyatso shook his head. The Avatar looked at his teacher with puzzlement.

"Before you do that, Aang," Gyatso said with a knowing sparkle in his eyes, "there are some old friends who have some very important gifts to give you."

--

As was customary (and obligatory) before any great battle, motivational speeches had to be given. But since there were so many rulers and great masters present in the group, there would not be enough time for each and every leader to give a speech. If anything, such an event would greatly delay the troops. So it had been decided that only six people would address the troops, two representatives for every nation, one old and one young. The time was limited but the people needed their pep talk so the leaders had to oblige.

For the Water Tribes, Hakoda and Sokka had been chosen. When the father had protested and suggested that Chief Arnook take the stand, the leader of the Northern Water Tribe had declined gracefully saying that Hakoda and his son had had more experience in the war and were therefore more entitled to speaking. The father and son thanked the chief for the honor. And Katara watched with pride as her brother and father took the stand.

It was rather awkward, though when Sokka began to speak. Unused to large audiences, the poor boy was a nervous wreck and began incoherently babbling, much to Katara's embarrassment. Everyone cringed as they listened to an incoherent and long account of how Sokka and Katara had first found Aang. Chief Arnook shook his head and Master Pakku slapped his forehead.

Luckily, Hakoda was the better speaker and putting a hand on his son's shoulder to calm Sokka down, Hakoda took over and gave a very good speech, far better than what his nervous son was able to give. In an instant, his charismatic presence commanded everyone's attention (which had been wavering during Sokka's rambling.)

"Everyone," the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe began, "we stand here together, two days before the coming of Sozin's comet, united by one burning desire – a desire for freedom and peace. I see before me, an army of free men and women, courageously defying tyranny and bravely fighting for a brighter future for their children. All of us here have been wounded by this hundred year war. And so we shall sally forth, to make our last stand beyond the dreaded Gates of Azulon, at the heart of the Fire Nation itself, to do all we can to save the world while our brave Avatar fulfills his destiny by defeating the Fire Lord. And when all this is over, I hope to see the same faces before me, standing and smiling in triumph, when this war is finally over and freedom is reclaimed!"

Hakoda raised his weapon-bearing arm and a cheer of victory and assent went up from the crowd and the others raised their fists in heartfelt agreement. In that instant, Sokka's bumbling had been forgotten and even the young man had ceased to be embarrassed, so moved was he by his father's speech. Katara couldn't stop some tears from flowing down her cheeks and with a sideward glance she noticed that others were tearing up as well.

Iroh, Zuko, Melisande, Notho Zaides, and the others from the Fire Nation joined the cheering, and felt both inspired and afraid. After all, they were all considered traitors now, and were no legitimate rulers of the rebellion. They were all unsure of how the free people of the Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom would feel fighting side by side with them. Nevertheless, they were all unwavering in their determination. They wanted freedom and peace just as much as everyone else. That was why they were fighting on this side.

Up next were the two representatives from the Earth Kingdom, King Bumi and Toph. But being the earthbenders that they were, both weren't too fond of giving speeches. Instead, Bumi and Toph whispered quickly to one another before giving each other a nod of complicity. And then, they gave their joint address.

"This war has lasted more than long enough," Bumi began, "believe me, I've lived through it. So the moment we face our enemies, there's only one thing we need to do." He paused and gave the floor to Toph.

"CRUSH THEM!" Toph yelled triumphantly, raising her clenched fist. And the earthbenders roared back in reply, much to everyone else's surprise.

"Earthbenders, let's DO THIS!" Toph yelled, eliciting another fearsome roar from the crowd. The Blind Bandit still had the same charisma she had in Earth Rumble. And together with the mad genius king of Omashu, the earthbender contingent was a truly a force to reckon with. And for added effect, boulders were tossed into the air by all the earthbenders present.

"Whew," Melisande told her companions with a mischievous grin, "talk about a hard act to follow."

"Thanks a lot, Aunt," Zuko replied sarcastically, "that really made me feel better."

"Don't worry about it, Zuko," Melisande reassured him, "I'm sure that you're a natural at this kind of thing."

"I sure hope so," the firebender replied sincerely, "or at least, I hope I'm better than Sokka."

"I hope so too," Melisande continued to tease, "for everyone's sake."

But this time, Zuko did not glare back at her. For he knew that his aunt was merely trying to put him at ease before he was to deliver his own speech. It was not something he particularly looked forward to, but having been chosen to do so, he would not back out. It had been agreed upon that every nation (except the Air Nomads, of course) must be represented somehow. After all, they were all fighting for the same cause now, regardless of what their former allegiances had been.

It was Iroh who first took the stand. All the people quieted down when the aged firebender started to speak.

"I am Iroh, former general of the Fire Nation, and I used to be one of your greatest enemies," he began solemnly, "for many years I had contributed to the horrors of this terrible war, and that part of my life was a mistake that I am striving to atone for as long as I have left here on this earth. As a boy, I had cryptic visions of victory in battle and I had misconstrued them then as military accomplishments. However, as of late, I have realized their true significance – I continue to live, even in my advanced age, because I am meant to bring victory to the free people, to help in ending this war. And so we have reconquered Ba Sing Se. But there is one great battle left for us. Allow me to fight alongside of every one of you once more, as we work to bring peace back to the world together with the Avatar. Sozin's comet is arriving and our destiny is upon us. The Avatar will face the Fire Lord, and when that moment comes, we shall be standing by his side. And he will succeed. Today, destiny is our friend, I know it."

Another loud cry of assent was heard from the crowd, who could not help but be charmed by the genial and wise old man. Most of them had long since forgiven him for the part he played in the war, especially after seeing his part in retaking the walled city. Melisande smiled proudly at her brother-in-law and applauded him loudly. And now, there was only one last speech to be heard. The crowd settled back down and waited patiently for this final oration.

Melisande looked towards the next speaker and saw his agitation and nervousness. The lady firebender felt for her nephew. She put a hand on his shoulder comfortingly and with an encouraging look, nudged him forward. From where she stood among her people, Katara could see Zuko's walk hesitantly towards the stand and she felt an urge to encourage him somehow. When he took Iroh's place and stood in front of the entire, silent army, he gulped and looked around him nervously. The others said nothing and some feared that they would have an encore of Sokka's speech.

But when his golden eyes had settled on the waterbender's face, Katara gave him the most radiant and most heartfelt smile she could give and Zuko felt his spirits lift. Closing his eyes and then taking a deep breath, Zuko began to speak.

"I know I don't deserve to be standing here with you now," the Fire Prince said, "talking to you about peace and harmony when my whole life has been devoted to hunting down the world's last hope for that. I have made so many mistakes and have caused so much pain and suffering. But I have been lucky, lucky enough to realize my true destiny before it is too late. I know that I am meant to clear our family's name somehow, by atoning for our crimes with whatever humble service I am able to give you in the coming fight. I who used to hunt down the Avatar to restore my honor, I am now his friend and ally, and I will restore my own and my family's honor by fighting with him and helping him fulfill his destiny. I know that long ago, this world used to be a place of light, beauty, and love. So it shall be once more! Let our enemies know this: never again will the Four Nations fall into the hands of a brutal tyrant! As we march together in battle, we go to restore our honor and to reclaim our freedom!"

Zuko ended, panting, so passionate and concentrated had he been on saying all he had wanted to say. There was a silence in the crowd and the Fire Prince had the sinking feeling that he had just disgraced himself in front of so many people. But just as he was about to slump in defeat, a loud applause rang from the army and everyone cheered him on. He was taken aback for a few moments before smiling and thanking everyone. Iroh clamped a hand on his nephew's shoulder and stood beside him while Toph, Bumi, Sokka, and Hakoda stood by them and together, the leaders raised their hands to show the unity and strength of the free people, the allies of the Avatar.

Right before everyone boarded their vessels, two pairs separated themselves from the crowd and met to say a brief goodbye. Sokka and Suki hugged each other tightly and each gave reassurances to the other before the battle.

"Be careful, Sokka," Suki told the Water Tribe Warrior gently as she hugged him, "I still want to see you again after this."

"You too, Suki," Sokka replied, "I won't be there to protect you all the time."

"I'm an elite warrior who has trained for many years in the art of war," Suki teased him. He grinned back at her.

"But you're still just a girl, and I'm still just a boy," Sokka told her, "and you cannot stop me from worrying."

The Kyoshi warrior smiled sweetly at the Water Tribe fighter and they kissed each other before parting ways, reluctantly. Everyone else had taken their positions and were preparing to depart in various modes of transportation from eel hounds, ostrich horses, submarines, komodo rhinos, and all others.

Meanwhile, another couple of fighters were trading their bittersweet farewells. As Katara held Zuko closed, she felt an urge to simply stay there and never let him go. Neither of them knew what the future held for them, and what would be decided in the next few days, or even, the next few hours. But after a few more minutes, Zuko reluctantly broke away from the hug and put both hands on Katara's shoulders. Her head was bowed and she refused to look at him. He sighed and gently raised her chin so that she faced him. Zuko looked at her earnestly and saw that Katara's blue eyes were shining. And for a few moments, both of them were speechless again, both simply relishing this moment of peace between them. They shared a kiss and embraced once more before Zuko finally let her go to join her people. And then, slowly, he turned to take his separate path. Iroh and Melisande both bid him good luck and asked him again if he needed them. But the young prince merely shook his head and assured them that he was ready to do what needed to be done.

As Katara walked back to where Pakku and Hakoda were waiting for her, she couldn't help but turn around to look at Zuko's solitary retreating figure. She gazed earnestly at him and slowly and reluctantly approacher her people. But when she faced her father and grandfather/master, they gave her looks of complete understanding. Her sparkling eyes looked at them gratefully.

Hakoda gave his daughter a tight hug and put his hand on her shoulder while nodding with understanding. She thanked him profusely and warmly. When Katara turned to look at Pakku, he had his usual stern face.

"Well, what are you standing around here for?" the waterbending master told her with his usual sarcasm, "get going to him."

She smiled and hugged Pakku gratefully before turning and running towards Zuko. The two older men sighed and smiled as they watched her go.

The young firebender looked with surprise as the waterbender ran towards him and took his hand in hers.

"But.." Zuko protested but Katara silenced him by placing a finger on his lips.

"You didn't think I'd let you go through with this all alone, did you?" she teased him with a grin. He looked taken aback at first but then smiled back and nodded. Zuko squeezed her hand and together they walked towards where an ostrich horse was waiting to take them where they needed to go.

"Whatever happens," Katara whispered to Zuko, "I'll stay with you."

--

_What a cheesy ending. Sorry about that. I just had to do it. I suppose we need more interaction between these two. But with the war and the final battle just looming on the horizon, it can be quite a challenge to have a quiet, intimate moment together._

_And whoa this was really, really long... I had so much trouble completing this and I am still in the middle of exam season. Argh, just my beautiful luck._

_I'm sorry if the battle speeches weren't the best. I worked hard on them and even "researched" by using my favorite battle speeches as references. But I'm sorry if you find them boring or cliché or whatever. But do know that I had your best interests at heart and I hope that they aren't as bad as others._

_Like I said, it's taking longer than I thought to write the chapters, especially with so many more battle scenes (so difficult to write and plan) to write and so many things to happen within the next five chapters and one epilogue. Okay, I've spoiled enough. But rest assured, I am working as fast as I am able._

_And since this is the longest chapter so far, I hope it is long enough to keep you people satisfied for a few days. :) And like I said before, your reviews are food of inspiration and I am very, very grateful for all of them. I will see this through, I assure you._

_Thank you so much for your continued support._


	21. Part Three, Chapter 4

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender" – among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER TWENTY**

Although Sozin's comet had not yet arrived, the Fire Nation capital had already transformed into a blazing inferno. The soldiers of the army had scattered and civilians had proceeded to their shelters as the fury of a grand Agni Kai consumed the land. The Phoenix King and his firebending prodigy daughter were engaged in a fierce duel the likes of which had never been seen before. And no one wanted to be caught in the crossfire.

The dark sky was pierced with lightning and flames, the electrifying bolts of plasma seeming to slice through the black slabs of cloud. The air was charged with energy and the entire area seemed to be burning under extremely high increases of temperature as the firebending went on, not even amplified yet by the coming comet.

"You'd better quit while you're ahead, my dear," Ozai taunted his daughter as he sent huge fireblasts towards where Azula leaped away, "you don't want your corpse to be fried beyond recognition."

"Maybe I should say the same to you, _father,_" Azula replied acidly, while shooting lightning once more from her fingertips, and evading her father's blows, "I don't think you'd mourn my loss too badly."

"Perhaps not," Ozai replied nonchalantly, as he deflected the lightning she sent and prepared to send more towards her direction, "but I must say I am quite disappointed with you."

"So suddenly?" Azula mocked back, sending more fire blasts towards her father's form, "I thought I always had your approval. It was Zuzu who was the constant disappointment."

"That may be true," Ozai replied, still engaging his daughter in a fight, "but that was expected. I never thought you would be foolish enough to face me in a direct confrontation. Wasn't your one, pathetic, _failed _assassination attempt enough to let you know that you stand no chance against me?"

With the last words, Ozai quickly changed his stance and aimed several precise darts of fire towards Azula. The darts flew so rapidly that the panting girl had barely enough time to deflect them. Azula frowned fiercely and took a deep breath, mustering all her energy for her next strike. She scowled as her father sneered at her with condescension and contempt and flexed her fingers which began to sparkle with small flames.

"That's funny, _father,_" Azula replied, narrowing her eyes sinisterly at the Phoenix Lord and saying the final address with a tone of murderous sarcasm, "from what I remember, _I _was the firebending prodigy. And I also seem to remember that I got that talent from my mother's side of the family."

And following her derogatory remarks, Azula fired a huge blast of blue, crackling lightning. Phoenix Lord Ozai's face had turned livid with rage at the insults, and Azula smirked confidently, getting the effect she had been going for. Unfortunately for her, her father wasn't about to let her taunts irk him. Once again, despite the momentary distraction, the Phoenix Lord was able to deflect the lightning sent towards him and with expert skill, sent it back towards a stunned Azula. This time, she was barely able to jump away from where the lightning blast obliterated a particularly large piece of rock where Azula had been standing.

Hearth thumping hard, and panting heavily, Azula gritted her teeth angrily when she realized how she had been beaten. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to recollect herself. In the distance she could hear her father's derisive laughter and in an instant, Azula had to dodge several large and deadly fire blasts which had been thrown her way. There was not enough time between dodging attacks to be able to gather enough fire power to send something at her father so Azula had to struggle for a few moments, thinking quickly and desperately about some way to buy herself some time. Things were not going exactly as planned and she was little too pleased about it.

"Insolent to the last, I see," Ozai taunted her, "how do you find the strength to talk back to me when you know that you are going to lose this battle?"

"What makes you so sure, my lord?" Azula retorted, recovering from her momentary shock and leaping high into the air, and kicking dozens of deadly fire blasts towards her father. Choosing not to waste any more time verbally assaulting her father, Azula concentrated on focusing all her energy on the duel. Ozai saw her intent and decided to play the game the same way, not making any more insulting remarks except for the occasional fit of angry laughter, which only enraged Azula more and made her every move even deadlier. But the golden-eyed princess was not a firebending prodigy for nothing and she had decided to play the game in her customary way. She would constantly take deep breaths to regain her composure, to sharpen her focus, and to intensify her bending. She knew too well that it would do her no good to scream or voice her frustration at every miss. As long as she was in the fight, she had to maintain her calm, otherwise, she would really be at the losing end. Every strike had to be careful and precise.

The earth trembled as the two great firebenders continued their fight. The sky was filled with explosions and violent fire blasts. The heat that surrounded the make shift Agni Kai arena was intense and it seared through the air. All over the ground there were burnt patches of earth and small fires had begun to burn as the two proceeded with their Agni Kai.

The few people who cowered fearfully in their dark, (hopefully) safe hiding places at first were unsure about the results of the fight. Both firebenders seemed equally matched and with every exchange of fire between the father and daughter, nothing seemed certain.

But as the duel progressed, it became clearer to whom the scales were tipped in favor. Azula was weakening. This fact had come as a surprise to those who were courageous (or foolish) enough to watch the battle. Never had they seen the fearsome and powerful princess in such a compromising position. The more the fight went on, the more they saw Azula falter. While it was true that neither Azula or Ozai was landing a blow on the other, Ozai seemed to be bidding his time, throwing fire with more ease than his daughter. And this was not due to any lack of talent on Azula's part, everyone knew that when it came to precision or skill, very few could surpass her. But her father had been wise to her conditions when she had started the fight. Azula was not in her prime.

While Ozai had spent the past few days, weeks, resting, training, and preparing for his eventual domination of the world, Azula had been busy with activities of her own. And unfortunately for the young princess, all her actions prior to this duel had been taxing on her and she had not yet had the opportunity to fully regain her strength. She had not yet fully recovered from her Agni Kai with Melisande and her hasty escape from the dungeons in Ba Sing Se. She had been traveling alone from the Earth Kingdom to the Fire Nation and she had had to use all her talents in stealth to avoid detection. It had been hard for Azula, especially since she no longer had anyone to trust. It had taken all her energy to try and blot out the unpleasant memories she had of the failed invasion of the walled city and of the betrayal she had experienced there. She had convinced herself that she did not need any of her treacherous henchmen, that she could complete all her plans by herself, without any of their help. After all, there was no one left to trust.

But of course, as was the habit with unpleasant memories, they popped up at the most inconvenient instance. At the moment when Azula most needed her concentration to win the fight, images of the events at Ba Sing Se began to flood her mind. She closed her eyes and shook her head violently to try and block out the influx of thoughts but of course she could not do so completely. As she lashed out with a pair of fire whips, she tried to focus on hitting her father. But of course, her mind would not let her have complete control. As she sprinted around, creating a circle of fire and enclosing her amused looking father in it, the faces of Mai and Ty Lee seemed to appear before her. And causing even more annoyance to the already pressured princess, the face of a pathetic, long-haired, (stupid) mustached earthbender appeared before her. That idiot, causing her trouble and annoyance even without his stupid presence. She hated the distraction.

Azula growled and gritted her teeth, forcing herself to block everything out, feeling exasperated at the nuisance. But the visions continued, she saw the legions of Dai Li, her Fire Nation mercenaries, and all her other "loyal" servants. She remembered how they had all either turned on her or had themselves captured and thrown into those dark, dank, metal Earth Kingdom cells. Good riddance, she could not help muttering now. If they were incompetent enough to have themselves caught by those pathetic, peasant earthbenders, then they were hardly fit to be of any use to her.

As Azula continued building the circular wall of fire while Ozai seemed to simply watch with amusement at her attempt, Azula recalled her narrow but ingenious escape from the dungeons of the fortified Earth Kingdom city. As she raised her fingers and emitted fire, Azula could not help but smirk at the memory. There had been something useful after all that she had picked up from her shameful duel with her aunt Melisande. As they battled together that day in Ba Sing Se, Azula was able to mimic a few unique techniques that her aunt had exhibited. Being the prodigy that she was, Azula had been able to imbibe those new tricks she had seen Melisande use that day. And one of the nifty things Azula had learned from that other Agni Kai was how to bend metal with fire.

Unknowingly, Melisande had taught Azula how to escape from her prison. Azula supposed that she should be thankful to her aunt somewhat for inadvertently teaching her such a useful skill. It had helped Azula on many occasions afterwards. But unfortunately for her, metalbending would not help Azula now, not as she faced her father in a duel that seemed destined to end badly, very badly.

Phoenix Lord Ozai continued to stand in the midst of the fire circle, idly moving his arms around to make sure that he would not be singed by any of Azula's blue flames. He could sense that her energy was waning and he was simply waiting for the moment when Azula would collapse from the exhaustion. He had purposefully let her do most of the striking in order to tire her out. She stood no chance against him now.

Some of the wary bystanders were wondering why the Phoenix Lord was not unleashing all his full powers on his daughter. Many of the soldiers and courtiers present were already well aware of the incredible strength the Phoenix Lord had acquired very recently after a mysterious expedition into a strange, remote cave. Many already knew that Phoenix Lord Ozai could now manipulate all four elements. So some were curious as to why he wasn't demonstrating his new abilities to his daughter.

The truth was that the Phoenix Lord, as was the custom with power-hungry tyrants, was eaten up with excessive amounts of pride. Although he was well aware of his daughter's firebending prowess (he had even used it as a bargaining chip to win the throne at one point), he still believed himself to be the superior firebender. He had been surprised at Azula's audacity in demanding an Agni Kai but he had also been secretly thrilled, seeing this as an opportunity of proving his superiority in firebending. Although he now had the tremendous advantage that used to be exclusive to the Avatar, Ozai refused to use his bending of the three other elements. This was not out of any sense of fairness he felt towards his daughter. This was because he wanted to defeat her using only his "superior" skills in firebending, to prove that he was a truly a great firebending master. Having been overshadowed by so many others before him, including his brother and sister-in-law, Ozai now felt it high time to prove his true powers, and only in firebending.

Beads of perspiration soaked her brow and Azula's chest was heaving from the exertion. She gritted her teeth with the stubbornness that every member of her family seemed to possess. Her arms were sore but she would not bring them down as they continued to emit bluish flames into the enclosure that trapped her father. She was determined to emerge as the victor in this fight. But she had to admit that she was fast losing her energy. So consumed with hatred and anger had she been for the past few days, and so full of anticipation for this fight that she began to falter. The adrenaline rush that had sustained her for the first few hours of the duel was now beginning to slacken and Azula could feel the aches in her every muscle. Weakness and fatigue were alien conditions to Azula so now as they plagued her in intense proportions, she was quite overwhelmed and equally perplexed as to how to cope with such feelings.

From within the fire walls, Azula heard her father's taunting voice and several rounds of derisive laughter.

"Very creative, Azula," the Phoenix Lord mocked his opponent as he continued to shield himself from the flames enclosed upon him, "I must say that I'm impressed. You've learned a few new and unexpected tricks."

"Well, you were wrong to underestimate me," Azula answered back, still struggling to maintain her control of the flames. She was mustering and gathering all her energy for one final, deadly strike which would end the duel once and for all.

"I'm that you've outstayed your welcome, father," Azula announced finally, her fingers poised to deliver the final strike, the tips crackling with lightning. The feared Fire Nation princess narrowed her fiery golden eyes at where her father's silhouetted figure was visible through her great wall of fire. She saw that Ozai made no move to counter hers. She was suspicious but also painfully aware that she was running out of time, and strength.

Focusing everything she had on where her father's heart would be, Azula aimed her lightning, feeling her entire body invigorated by the pure energy coursing through it, the plasma illuminating her figure in the midst of the darkening sky.

"This world only has room for one supreme ruler," Azula said darkly as she extended her hand and allowed the lightning to shoot from her fingertips.

Her eyes widened as the fire wall dissipated in a split second and her father's unharmed figure caught and redirected the lightning.

"My sentiments exactly, Azula," Ozai replied with a sinister smile.

--

"Thank you so much for all your help, everyone," Aang addressed the spirits gratefully. The young airbender put his hands together and made a respectful bow before Monk Gyatso, Avatar Roku, Avatar Kyoshi, Avatar Kuruk, and Avatar Yangchen. They all smiled benevolently back at him and returned the gesture.

"Do you feel like you are ready to face the Fire Lord and fulfill your destiny now, Aang?" Monk Gyatso asked his protege with concern. But he knew that Aang's visit to the Spirit World this time had yielded much and it was high time for the latest Avatar to return to the land of the living to resume his life and to finish what he was destined to do.

The previous incarnations of the Avatar said nothing, having already given all the necessary speeches to their successor much earlier. Aside from words of encouragement though, they had also bestowed on Aang several useful and essential gifts which he would find very helpful in his confrontation with the Fire Lord. After receiving the aforementioned gifts, Aang had profusely thanked his master and his past lives for their help.

Aang took a deep breath and nodded sincerely.

"I don't think I'll ever be truly ready," the young monk replied, "if I don't go to face my destiny now."

The spirit of the giant of whom Aang had learned much now stood near a glowing portal to the living world, to the cave where the immense statue remained still and unyielding. Aang once more bade farewell to all his mentors and then stood by the portal.

The young Avatar closed his eyes and took a deep breath before stepping through the barrier and back into the living world, his bluish form slipping back into his body. The live Avatar's eyes snapped open and he had to blink several times to re-accustom himself to the dark interior of the cave. The airbender stood up and dusted himself off. He then glanced with a hint of amusement at the large statue of the giant which did not seem to have changed the whole time Aang made his escapade into the Spirit World.

The Avatar pricked his ears and tried to listen for the sounds of Fire Nation soldiers on the watch but he heard nothing. There were not even the slightest stirrings. Carefully risking a glance, he saw that there were fewer soldiers guarding the place than when he had first arrived and those who were in the cave were fast asleep. The Avatar smiled contentedly. At least, he would not be forced to fight them and it was advantageous that they would have no idea that he had been there at all. Such convenient circumstances for him.

With one last look at the regal statue, the last airbender crept quietly and carefully around the sleeping guards. And when Aang had finally reached the exit of the cave, he breathed in the cool, fresh air of the outer world. The sky was very dark and had tinges of red in it. Aang's eyes narrowed. The comet was coming. He had not a moment to lose.

The Avatar ran quickly to where Appa and Momo had been hiding. The two creatures greeted him eagerly and the lemur instantly flew and landed on his shoulder.

"I missed you too, Momo," Aang said in a cheerful tone as Momo chirped to him, "and I'm sorry it took so long for me to figure a few things out. But I know what to do and I'm determined to see this thing through."

Momo chirped in reply and Appa gave a loud grunt as Aang climbed on the sky bison's back. The airbender faced the direction of the Fire Nation capital and narrowed his pensive gray eyes, a look of absolute conviction on his face. It was time to save the world.

"Appa, yip yip!"

--

The largest bolt of lightning sliced through the sky and wherever there was a battle, everyone could not help but pause to gape at the wondrous sight. And at that instant, all combat ceased and every person on the battlefield turned their heads towards the direction where the grand Agni Kai was being fought. To those who fought some distance from the "arena", the implications of that grand bolt of lightning were strange and unsettling. No one could be sure of who had won the victory in that showdown between Princess Azula and Fire Lord Ozai. And in the ensuing brief silence, some decisions were made before the fighting recommenced. Three pairs of golden eyes had narrowed at the sight of the lightning and three firebenders had simultaneously made the same resolve.

On one side of the Fire Nation battlefield, an iron tempest of arrows rained down upon the many soldiers of both sides. From the highest buildings in the city, archers were sending their darts through the air and the whizzing of these fast-flying weapons could be heard by every soldier on the field. This side of the fighting had been claimed by the two sets of archers, one for each side. It was a fight of precision and speed, and the loud twang of bows rang in the air as their furies were unleashed on one another.

The Fire Lord's forces consisted of course of the renowned Yu Yan archers who fired their arrows expertly and efficiently. However, for the very first time in the history of their existence, the prestigious group of archers had met their match in terms of skill, precision, and speed. The rebel forces had a retinue of archers as well, led by the lady Melisande, who had once also been ranked as a Yu Yan archer before she had been branded a traitor by the Fire Nation. And she had with her a group of talented archer rebels coming from different parts of the Four Nations, some renegades from the Fire Nation, several from the Earth King's army at Ba Sing Se, others still from King Bumi's realm of Omashu, and some from both the Southern and Northern Water Tribes. And they were proving to be quite a challenge to the Yu Yan archers.

Added to the exchange of darts between the two groups, some of the archers combined their bending with their archery, launching flaming arrows or sharp darts made of ice. The battle between raged between both armies and none of the other warriors dared cross the field on which the arrows fell. It was a test of long-range fighting and anyone who would be unfortunate (and foolish) enough to pass through where the Yu Yan and the rebels were unleashing their iron/ice/fire tempests would never come out of it alive.

But the fight on this side of the battlefield was going in the rebels' favor. With their more diverse skills and greater conviction, they were able to make the Yu Yan fall back slightly. And since the Yu Yan had never encountered so worthy an opponent before, they found themselves ill-equipped for the competition. The element of surprise worked very much to the advantage of Melisande and her group as they continued to shock and impress the Yu Yan fighters with their prowess. Melisande, though proud and pleased with the progress of her side of the army, did not fall into the trap of being too overconfident or proud. She would not falter in this fight or let herself neglect her archers. And so everything went well for them.

But the moment Melisande saw the large flash of lightning that struck the dark firmament with such finality, she knew that she would have to leave her retinue and go on the path she was meant to take. Seeing her archers' progress and sustained defense, she knew they would be able to handle the remaining Yu Yan with little trouble. After releasing another dozen arrows, she approached a tall, thin, young man with a conical hat and spoke a few words with him.

"I have a little score to settle with the Phoenix Lord," she told him, "so I'm leaving you in charge. I trust you." Putting a hand on the young man's shoulder she smiled before leaving. Longshot nodded back at her quietly.

Enveloping herself in a protective covering of fire, Melisande sprinted across the battlefield, making her way towards the Agni Kai.

--

Elsewhere, the Dragon of the West was heading in the same direction. Along the way, Iroh had had to face many worthy opponents from the Fire Nation who had long since wished to challenge him. Unwilling to disappoint them, he had had to indulge some of his old political enemies in several Agni Kais. It had been tedious and he had won every duel (fairly) of course, but each encounter had consumed much of his time. And Iroh was aware that today would not merely be a day of numerous small victories against frustrated politicians. Destiny had much bigger plans for all of them today.

As he made his way towards where his younger brother was engaged in an Agni Kai with Azula, Iroh was able to see the progress of the allied forces against the Phoenix Lord's army. Watching how everyone was working hard and fighting valiantly for their freedom gave Iroh a great surge of hope. At least with everyone's cooperation, Iroh thought, the only thing the Avatar will have to worry about is facing the Fire Lord alone. Of course, that one task was a tall order in itself but it was good to know that the other peoples of the Four Nations were not wholly dependent on the young Avatar for their freedom. They were doing their part in their own destiny.

He had seen the archers unleash their fury upon the others and Iroh felt certain that Melisande and her forces would succeed. On another side, Iroh had been able to briefly observe the Water Tribe warriors and the waterbenders as they fought off the Fire Nation soldiers with ease. Somehow they seemed even harder to beat in a foreign land. The waterbenders here seemed even stronger than those encountered at the North Pole. Perhaps it was because this battle was more decisive.

Hakoda, Sokka, and the other Water Tribe warriors were likewise holding their own against many Fire Nation forces. Iroh was once again impressed by the sheer spirit exhibited by these warriors whose feats seemed all the more valiant considering they did not have any bending. On that note, Suki and the Kyoshi Warriors were expertly manifesting just how they were one of the most skilled groups of non-bending fighters not only in the Earth Kingdom but in the whole Four Nations.

Up in the sky, the Mechanist had his own set of war balloons, with warriors and rebels on them, who were currently attacking the Fire Nation war balloons and destroying them

And of course, it was hard to ignore the occasional rumblings of the earth and rock slides caused by King Bumi, Toph, and the rest of the earthbenders attacking the Fire Nation. The crazy king of Omashu and the Blind Bandit were enjoying themselves as they found more and more creative ways of using their element and of defeating their every opponent. Toph easily metalbended some of the Fire Nation tanks which were going towards them, reducing the huge weapons into massive piles of rubble.

Things on the grand battlefield were going well for the free people of the Four Nations and after defeating yet another opponent, Iroh surveyed the area and felt slightly encouraged. But after he saw the large bolt of lightning, Iroh frowned pensively and knew what he had to do. The Avatar had not yet arrived but someone still needed to face the Phoenix Lord. And that was what the Dragon of the West intended to do.

--

On yet another side of the fighting, a powerful couple had come across a pleasant surprise. When Zuko and Katara had first gotten into their fighting stances back to back, ready to face what they thought was an ambush, they were both shocked to see that the group of Fire Nation soldiers who approached them had no intention of fighting. Katara still kept her water whip at the ready, wary of their intentions but Zuko had quickly relaxed, a look of recognition filling his face. And then, the young Fire Nation prince smiled.

"Prince Zuko," the first man, apparently the leader of the group of soldiers, addressed the firebender, "we have come to fight on your side."

"It's all right, Katara," he said, putting a reassuring hand on the waterbender's shoulder.

"How do you know that we can trust them?" Katara whispered warily.

"These are the men with whom I traveled for the last three years when I was still hunting down the Avatar," Zuko explained, "there isn't a more loyal or more trustworthy crew in the entire Four Nations."

And all of a sudden, Katara seemed to recognize the men as well. They were indeed Zuko's men from when he had been chasing Aang. They all bowed reverently to Zuko, as if in an act of homage.

"We had pledged to serve you loyally three years ago," Lieutenant Jee told the young prince, "and nothing will ever change that. You may have been stern but you were fair. And we all know that you are fighting for a better future than what your mad father has plans for. We will fight for you until the end."

Touched, Zuko raised Lieutenant Jee from where the man had been bowing, and clapped hands on the older man's soldier. Zuko looked at his former crew and nodded in acknowledgment. Katara smiled at the unexpected increase in their forces.

"Thank you so much for your service and loyalty, everyone," Zuko addressed them, "I trust you all with my life. We are all in this fight together, and I will make sure we come out of it together."

A loud cheer was heard from the group and Zuko smiled. He looked to Katara and she nodded back. And for the initial part of the fighting, Zuko and Katara led his former crew as they fought against the rest of the Phoenix Lord's soldiers. And then the large bolt of lightning pierced the sky.

Both Zuko and Katara knew very well what that meant and when Katara saw that inexplicable look of determination in Zuko's eyes, she knew at once that he would go to where the Agni Kai was being held. Zuko gave some instructions to Lieutenant Jee, and the latter was only happy to oblige. The young prince took his leave with his men and they all saluted him with understanding.

"Let's go," Katara told him and Zuko nodded. And together, they ran across the Fire Nation, fighting side by side along the way, proceeding from one great battlefield to another.

--

Trembling violently, Azula crawled weakly away from where her father was laughing maniacally, emitting fire from both hands. She winced as she tried to move away, every muscle in her body seemed to be burning with pain, her breath coming in quick gasps. But she was still glad for the pain. It was the sole indication that she was still alive.

Azula had been able to avoid the lightning bolt but just barely. She did not have the strength to deflect it and had simply moved away from where it had been aimed. And it had missed her by just a few inches. But now she knew she would lose this fight. She had miraculously avoided that deadly blow but now she did not have any strength to fight back. She could barely stand. It was over.

"Well, well, Azula," Ozai taunted his daughter's shivering figure as he stood before her, towering above her, "I believe it is you who have outstayed your welcome."

Azula said nothing but simply looked at her father in fear. There was nothing else she could do. He poised his hand right above her heart, a small flame beginning to form at his fingertips.

"Such a pity that it had to end like this," Ozai said in mock-pity, "you look even more pathetic than Zuko. But you were a fool to go against me. Have you not yet learned that I always win?"

But just before Ozai was about to strike Azula dead, an arrow whizzed past his hand, causing him to jump back to avoid it as it landed where his outstretched hand had been. Enraged, the Phoenix Lord looked up to the direction the arrow came from.

"You always win?" a familiar voice repeated his words, "I beg to differ."

Ozai's eyes widened at the sight of a long-haired woman standing atop a small hill overlooking the arena.

"It can't be," he muttered incredulously, "it's impossible."

"No, you're not hallucinating, if that's what you were wondering," Melisande replied sarcastically, "long time no see, Ozai."

Angered by this retort, Ozai roared and instinctively sent a large fire blast in Melisande's direction. The woman dodged the attack easily and landed several feet from her opponent.

Forgotten and ignored, Azula did not bother to find out the details of the new arrival. The fatigued princess merely limped away from her father and went to find cover as fast as possible. She was too tired to care about the result of the fight and too relieved to bother finding out more about it.

Ozai and Melisande now stood face to face, each one glaring at each other. The former, however, was still too stunned to speak coherently. Melisande suppressed the urge to grin with amusement at him. It was too grim a time for pleasantries.

But since Ozai still seemed unable to react to her presence, Melisande took advantage of the delay by making the first strike. With a twist of her stance she kicked a large blast of fire towards him before leaping to another side and aiming some darts of flame towards him.

The sudden attacks made Ozai snap back to reality and he was able to avoid the first blow and dissipate the fire darts just in the nick of time. Although still unsure of his opponent's identity and the possibility of her being there, Ozai also realized that he could not afford to let his guard down. Whatever else this person was, she was still quite a powerful firebender.

He glared at Melisande, retaliating her every attack with equal intensity, matching every fire blast, every kick, and every dart. Melisande was quick on her feet and never let her stance falter, constantly trying new ways of striking her opponent.

"I don't know you can still be alive at this moment, Melisande," Ozai told his foe angrily while lashing out fire whips that she countered with her own, "but I assure you, you won't be living any longer."

"Don't be ridiculous, Ozai," Melisande retorted, using a quick jab to dissolve his fire whips, and to throw a ball of fire towards his face, "I was exiled, not executed. Now, why would you think I was dead? I was simply missing in action for eight years."

With that, Melisande twirled around, creating a ring of fire around her which she raised and threw towards her opponent like a lasso of flames. Ozai had to bend away the fire and send a counterattack before he could react to her words. He still seemed a little doubtful of her presence despite all the evidence that he was indeed facing his once-banished sister-in-law.

"Perhaps you are some sort of demon or witch," he retorted acidly, while punching fire towards her figure and kicking some flames to try and cut her roots, "because no one has ever escaped from the Isle of Azufre before."

"You forget that there is a first time for everything," she replied calmly, leaping away from the fire and dissolving the rest with a quick and decisive blow, "and you simply find it hard to believe that I was capable of outsmarting you. You must learn to never underestimate a person who has so much time on her hands. We tend to become a little more creative about surviving."

Melisande then took a deep breath before throwing some red-hot discs of flame to Ozai before leaping high and in an instant, doing the same thing behind him, and then repeating the attack from two different sides. Every strike happened so quickly that Ozai had no time to form his own counterattacks in between blocking and dissolving the discs of flame which were thrown towards him. Melisande would not let her guard down even for a moment and she kept her focus, determined to do some damage. Despite her deep-seated resentment for this power-hungry tyrant, she knew that she was not the one destined to ultimately defeat him. Nevertheless, she was glad for the opportunity to face him right before Sozin's comet arrived so that she could somehow atone for her mistakes in the past. Never had she fought so hard than during this duel since she knew that she would not emerge as the final winner. But of course she wasn't about to go down without a good fight.

As the fight wore on, Ozai realized that he could not use the same strategy on Melisande that he used on Azula. For one thing, she still had more energy than Azula had at the beginning of the fight and it had taken quite a while for Azula to succumb to the fatigue. It would take far too long to tire Melisande out and as far as firebending was concerned, though Ozai loathed to admit it, she was getting the better of him. Or at least, she was sending attacks so fast that he had no time to form counterattacks. But he was not going to lose this fight. So he decided to tip the scales in his favor.

Seeing that much of Melisande's success depended on the steadiness of her stance, Ozai made sure that the next time Melisande landed on the ground between her rapid high leaps, the earth would not be so steady. With a quick jerking movement, Ozai bent the earth that Melisande landed on, causing her to stumble and lose her balance. She was stunned at first at the change and she did not seem to attribute her mistake to Ozai's action. But when it happened several times, Melisande noticed, much to her shock, that Ozai truly was earthbending. And this time, it was Melisande's turn to look incredulous.

"It can't be," she cried with wide eyes. And much to her dismay, Ozai grinned with dark satisfaction.

"This time," Ozai announced, having regained his edge in the battle, "you underestimated me."

Fortunately for Melisande, she was able to jump out of the way as an attack to Ozai was launched from another side of the field. Regaining her stance, she poised her hands towards him and smirked.

"Not quite," she replied smugly.

Infuriated, Ozai turned to see where the other attack had come from and then he came face to face with another great firebender. Ozai could not help but laugh sarcastically when he found himself surrounded by both Iroh and Melisande.

"Will wonders never cease?" the Phoenix Lord remarked ironically, "this must be some sort of family reunion."

"But it's hardly a happy one," Melisande commented sarcastically, her hands raised in an offensive position.

"The power to control all four elements belongs to the Avatar alone," Iroh warned his brother, "you will not be allowed to use what was never meant to be yours."

"But as you can see," Ozai replied smugly, easily retaliating attacks from the two firebenders, "I have control over that power now. And nothing is stopping me from using it. I have forged my own destiny."

"You are destroying the harmony and balance of the Four Nations," Iroh told Ozai angrily, launching attack after attack at the Phoenix Lord, "and I assure you, this will not end well. It did not work for Zhao and it will not work for you."

"How dare you compare me to that pathetic man?" Ozai retorted angrily, earthbending and airbending to fight back, "I am the Phoenix Lord, ruler of the whole world."

"You're an idiot," Melisande muttered as she dodged some of his attacks. Iroh was shaking his head sadly.

"You've let your pride and lust for power blind you, Ozai," the older firebender said gravely, "you've forgotten that you are but a man."

--

As the grand battle between the three firebending masters continued, Azula watched from a distance, still recovering from her injuries. As the young princess winced, feeling her entire body weaken, she felt someone's arms pull her up. She raised her hands defensively instinctively but she was too faint to launch an attack. With groggy eyes, the princess looked up at her new companion.

It was a woman with long dark hair and a compassionate smile. Azula squinted, trying to focus on the features of the woman's face. Her touch was gentle and Azula could hear the woman whisper words of comfort to her. Carefully, the woman cradled Azula in her arms and seemed to begin tending to her wounds.

Azula was too weak to protest or to fight back but she still was slightly wary of the woman. But slowly, as the princess regained some of her wits, she realized who her rescuer was. With wide eyes full of recognition, Azula took another good look at the lady who had begun to care for her.

"Mother," Azula whispered softly.

--

The air rang with the Phoenix King's maniacal laughter. Around him, he had flames and levitating rocks. And his two opponents were both down on the ground, both thrown back by the sheer force of Ozai's combined attacks of earthbending and firebending. He continued to cackle derisively especially after seeing their humbled positions. After roaring with laughter, Ozai began to mock and insult them, calling them fools for daring to go against him.

Iroh and Melisande both struggled to get up in spite of their multiple injuries. They knew now that they were no match to the Phoenix King for he had acquired a power and a madness that none of them could fully counter. From a distance, they could see the blazing form of Sozin's comet as it soared through the blood-red sky. While its arrival would rejuvenate them, it would also give unimaginable power to the already (seemingly) invincible Phoenix Lord. Iroh and Melisande looked at each other gravely. Things were pretty bad.

However, from the corner of his eye, Iroh spied another thing flying towards them from a distance. He alerted Melisande to it and when they squinted to get a better look, they realized what it was and smiled. Hope was rekindled.

"Did you really believe that you and your alliance of traitors would be able to defeat me, the Phoenix King?" Ozai announced haughtily.

"We won't defeat you," Iroh replied calmly, his head inclining, pointing to the direction of the flying bison, "but he will."

--

_And there you have it, the series of big battles shall now commence._

_I must apologize from the bottom of my heart for the atrocious delay. It has been more than a month and I am very, very, very sorry._

_After the last chapter, school work just piled up and before I knew it, I had to be studying for my final exams. Added to that, another non-academic distraction caused a temporary writer's block and though the final exams are over, I've been living in a sad, inexplicable stupor for the past days, unable to write anything properly. I can't really explain it but it was hard to get back into writing after being busy with other things for so long. So I apologize for the delay and I hope you all forgive me._

_Once again, fight scenes are exceedingly difficult to write and it was even more of a challenge to write this chapter since I am still partly in that annoying stupor, my "creativity" blocked by thoughts of something else. But I tried my best and unfortunately for me, the next (and last) few chapters will have to be full of fight scenes. So I hope the fights here weren't too boring/dragging/unrealistic/whatever other fault. I know that I am very ambitious about the fight scenes and they always play a lot better in my head than in my writing but I hope that I get some visions across, at least. Or at least, you get the idea that certain fights are happening, that is my intention anyway._

_It is so difficult to be writing with so many characters and I know that not all of them were given major roles in this chapter but I am dividing the work and they will all have a contribution to the end of the big battle._

_As for the gifts of Aang's past lives, they will be tackled in flashbacks in the next chapters. I don't want to give everything away just yet. So please be patient._

_Rest assured, I am working on the next chapter already and I promise that it will not take as long as it did for this chapter to come out. And I can also promise that this story will be concluded in the next two weeks, to make up for my atrocious delay._

_Again, I am so sorry for taking so long on this and I hope you aren't disappointed with this chapter. Thank you all for continuing to read and support my work!_


	22. Part Three, Chapter 5

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender" – among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE**

"Well, if it isn't the Avatar," Ozai said sarcastically, his golden eyes focused on Aang as the young airbender jumped off the sky bison and landed facing the Phoenix King, "we meet at last. I must say that I've long been waiting for this encounter."

"Fire Lord Ozai," Aang began, a determined look on his young face, "this..."

"Uh-uh-uh," Ozai cut him off, raising a finger and shaking it whimsically, "it's Phoenix King now, actually."

Aang raised an eyebrow at this but did not look impressed. He raised his airbender staff and went into a defensive position as the Phoenix king laughed arrogantly. From where they were standing, Melisande and Iroh had some reactions to the claim as well. The Dragon of the West simply shook his head while the former duchess rolled her eyes.

"Whatever you call yourself," Aang resumed the conversation without losing the edge in his voice, "you're going down."

"Nice response," Melisande commented to Iroh with a wry smile. Both she and Iroh had gotten up after a particularly harsh blow from Ozai and were now regarding the pair of fighters with mixed anticipation and interest. This duel had long been delayed and the results of this showdown would determine the destiny of every member of the Four Nations. They all knew this.

Without mincing any more words, Aang extended both arms and performed several feats of earhtbending one after the other, raising small mounds of earth which Ozai dodged with ease. Taking a deep breath, Aang made his fists burn and he began to truly engage the Phoenix King in an Agni Kai, throwing fireball after fireball, and dissolving every fireball that was being thrown at him. Brow furrowed in concentration, Aang launched fire from his fists and feet right at Ozai and tried to fight back in similar style. They battled together, sending whips, balls, darts, and all other forms of fire towards each other.

The two talented but injured firebenders watched in awe at the wondrous displays of the art being performed by both the Avatar and the Fire Lord, no, Phoenix King. Even Iroh was impressed with the astounding progress Aang had made with his firebending after spending the shortest time on learning that element. And Melisande was surprised at how improved even Ozai was at firebending considering there had been a time when she had always beaten him in an Agni Kai.

More explosions and crashes occurred as the two great fighters engaged each other in the already mangled and burned out battlefield. Neither one of them looked tired and neither seemed to be on the verge of slowing down any time soon. The few other people who had stayed to watch the amazing match were dumbstruck by the sheer speed with which both Aang and Ozai launched their attacks. The fire being tossed between them flew at the speed of lightning and yet no lightning was yet being used. Some of the bystanders figured that both fighters would reserve using lightning for the latter part of the fight. Even with all the damage already being made, everyone knew that the greatest duel in all history had barely begun.

Blazing overhead, Sozin's comet had tinged the sky with a bright and deadly tone of crimson and it seemed like the clouds were soaked in the blood of all those engaged in battle. Exactly as the legend had it, all the firebenders had their powers greatly amplified by the comet's presence and the tables had begun turning on the rebels who had up until then been able to drive the Phoenix Kings' forces back.

The presence of the fabled comet also explained the increased intensity of the firebending between Aang and Ozai. But Melisande observed that while Aang was using his full powers, all elements being combined in a fighting style only he could have developed, Ozai was holding back on his powers. Narrowing her eyes, the lady firebender watched as Ozai easily returned Aang's firebending blasts and also quickly dodged the attacks using the other elements. Seeing the smug smirk on his face and noticing the lack of effort in his every move, Melisande could sense that something was wrong.

She walked towards a serious Iroh and shared her observations with him. He rubbed his chin and furrowed his brows in thought, analyzing the situation.

"He can't hope to succeed with Aang using the same technique that he used with Azula," Melisande told Iroh, "it would be unwise to try to tire Aang out since Ozai has been fighting for a longer time. I don't care how powerful he has become with the comet's arrival; he still isn't strong enough to make Aang tired enough to be defeated."

"I don't think he intends to do that, Melisande," Iroh replied, "both you and I know that Ozai has been wanting to have this fight for a long time. He wants to be impressive in destroying the Avatar, he wants this fight to be the greatest display of bending in history. He is simply waiting for the opportune moment."

With a gasp of realization, Melisande understood Ozai's plan.

"He's going to do the same thing to Aang that he did to me," she said with worry.

"What are you talking about?" Iroh asked her.

"The element of surprise," the lady explained, "it's a technique that never fails. He will keep on fighting using only firebending to make Aang believe that that is all he is capable of doing, and then, the moment the Avatar lets his guard down, Ozai will strike, using earthbending, waterbending, or airbending, and catch the Avatar by surprise."

"You're absolutely right," Iroh replied with complete understanding as he watched the continuing match of Aang against Ozai, "Aang still doesn't know that Ozai is capable of bending all four elements."

"He will be just as shocked as I was when I found out," Melisande continued, "we have to warn him before Ozai has the chance to pull that same trick on him."

Iroh nodded and so, with some difficulty, the two injured firebenders ran back (limping slightly) to the battlefield to inform the Avatar of what exactly he was up against. They found the two in the middle of a fierce exchange of large fire whips. Taking a deep breath, Iroh jumped in, raising both hands to dissolve the fire whips from both sides, while Melisande ran towards Aang to warn him of the danger he was facing with Ozai.

Luckily for Melisande and Iroh, the element of surprise was on their side in this instance and Ozai was too surprised to be able to form a powerful enough counter attack, giving just enough time for Melisande to speak with the Avatar. While she did so, Iroh engaged his brother in the fight for a few minutes.

"What are you doing, Lady Melisande?" Aang asked, equally surprised, "it's too dangerous for you to be here. It's between me and the Phoenix King."

"I am well aware of that, thank you very much," Melisande replied, holding the young boy by the shoulders, "but there is just something important that you must know about the Phoenix King: he can bend all four elements."

"What?" Aang replied in shock, his gray eyes widening, "but that's not possible."

"Apparently, it is," Melisande replied urgently, "you have to trust me on this one. A lot of impossible things have been happening lately."

Aang nodded gravely although he was still at a loss to how the Fire Lord had gained the powers of the Avatar.

"I don't know how to explain it, Aang," Melisande continued, throwing a sidewards glance to where Iroh was still holding Ozai off, albeit with some difficulty, "but we don't really have much time to discuss that. Be careful, and good luck."

She patted him on the shoulder encouragingly before turning around to face Ozai. Melisande raised her arms, creating sheets of fire from each hand, the intensity of the flames greater due to the presence of the comet. Seeing her ready, Iroh jumped out of Ozai's line of fire and cleared the path for Melisande's strike. The lady took a deep breath and held her ground, her eyes determined as they faced the Phoenix King.

Ozai was shaking his head in mock disappointment, looking more and more amused by the intrusion and not at all offended. Both of his palms were also ablaze fiercely and he was just about ready to launch the blasts at any of his three opponents. He continued to shake his head.

"I must say you disappoint me greatly, Avatar," Ozai taunted derisively, "I didn't think you would be this weak. Having to ask for reinforcements so early in the fight. But I can't really blame you. You knew you could never face me alone."

"Just shut up, Ozai," Melisande retorted in Aang's stead, sending a large wave of fire towards Ozai. With a couple of quick jabs of his hands, Ozai dissolved the flames sent to him but Melisande was ready with a fresh round of fire blasts. Iroh had walked over to one safer side of the Agni Kai arena, fatigued by the brief intrusion. He made some signals to Melisande that it was her turn to leave the fight. The female firebender did not even look at him but when Iroh narrowed his eyes, he saw that she gave him a very slight (almost undetectable) nod. But he could also see that she was not going to leave without making a dramatic exit. She had a tendency of doing that. Iroh shrugged his shoulders as he watched Melisande and Ozai continue to fight. The older firebender looked around for the Avatar but Aang seemed to have disappeared behind the sheets of flames exchanged by the two other firebenders engaged in battle. Iroh frowned. It seemed like Aang too had been drawn into Melisande's theatrics. The Dragon of the West only hoped that Melisande knew what she was doing.

"You are really pathetic, Avatar," Ozai continued to mock Aang in a loud voice while throwing fire balls which Melisande was chopping up, "hiding behind a woman's skirt like a scared child . Absolutely pathetic."

After having dissolved Ozai's latest attack, Melisande surprisingly did not retaliate. Instead, she lowered her hands, palms flat, in a relaxing position while taking a deep breath. She had calm, sly look on her face. Ozai raised his eyebrow.

"You talk too much, Ozai," Melisande taunted the Phoenix King, with a sly smile, "you really should know when to shut up."

Ozai raised an eyebrow and did not notice the presence of someone else right behind him. With a powerful kick, Aang knocked Phoenix King down and Ozai stumbled face first into the dirt.

"And another tip, my dear brother-in-law," Melisande said as she ran to one side of the arena, "never underestimate your opponents."

Before Ozai could get up to fire a retort (or an attack) towards Melisande, Aang was standing right in front of him and Ozai felt himself being launched several feet away from where he had landed by a forceful rise of earth. Rubbing his sore back, Ozai frowned and growled angrily. With a shake of his fist, he raised a ball of earth from the ground and threw it at Aang. But the Avatar was ready for him, punching through the big ball of earth and making it crack into a million pieces.

"I know your secret now, Ozai," Aang told his foe, as they began engaging in a fight of combined technique in bending, "but that's not going to scare me, even if you can bend all four elements."

"I see your friends have informed you of my new abilities," Ozai replied with understanding, while launching burning rocks which Aang extinguished with airbending and dissolved with earthbending. They continued to fight in this manner for several moments. Neither was able to use much waterbending in the fight since there were no large sources of water in the vicinity.

"You cannot expect to win this fight with powers that were never meant to be yours," Aang warned Ozai, as they both began to fight on rising platforms of earth, "I know now what you took from the giant's cave using the key that was meant for me. You stole what was rightfully mine and you will never succeed in using that power."

Ozai rolled his eyes as he threw various attacks at the Avatar. He was able to launch a fire whip towards Aang which the Avatar dissolved. Aang fought back with another round of attacks.

"Everyone seems to be telling me that lately," the Phoenix King replied sarcastically, "but I don't see how any of you are stopping me from using my newly acquired powers. You are all blind fools. I have taken destiny in my own hands and you all just can't accept that I've succeeded."

"You've distorted your destiny," Aang answered back, slicing through Ozai's earth platform, "and you will never be allowed to be someone who you are not."

"And I suppose you're going to stop me?" Ozai retorted, repairing his platform and regaining his balance.

"Yes," Aang answered simply before taking a deep breath and launching several flaming earth balls in an airbending vortex towards Ozai, "I will."

--

"He's back," Katara told Zuko excitedly as they arrived near the arena where the Phoenix King and the Avatar were busy in their duel.

The waterbender and the Fire Prince had just come out of several intense confrontations with some of Ozai's better retainers and, of course, the pair had emerged victorious. Somewhere in the middle of the battlefield, several Fire Nation soldiers were busy unfreezing many of their comrades while others were still reeling from their defeats in very quick but powerful Agni Kais with the banished prince of the land.

Zuko and Katara watched from a rocky outcrop which overlooked the duel area as Aang and Ozai fought against each other using various techniques. The two spectators were shocked to see that the Phoenix King could bend elements other than fire.

"How can this be possible?" Katara cried incredulously. Zuko frowned gravely as he watched his father manipulate a mound of earth and throw it towards the Avatar.

"My father has always craved power," Zuko said seriously, more to himself than to his companion, "but this time he has gone too far. I don't know how he did it, but he stole some of Aang's abilities."

"But that isn't fair," Katara protested, "he will be even more difficult to defeat with such powers at his disposal."

"My father was never one to play any game fairly," Zuko replied bitterly, "especially when so much is at stake."

Katara made a noise of utter exasperation as she continued to watch the duel. It seemed that both fighters were an equal match to one another and neither one was getting any advantage over the other. Her blue eyes rested particularly on the powerful but also vulnerable young monk. The waterbending master knew that so much violence was against Aang's gentle nature and she understood to some extent how difficult this fight was for him. She turned to look at Zuko when she felt the firebender's hand on her shoulder.

"Don't be afraid," he told her, "if anyone can get through this, it would be Aang."

Katara nodded gratefully and smiled slightly at Zuko before looking at the fight again.

Zuko knew about Aang's meekness as well and this made the young prince especially worried about the outcome of the fight, despite the positive aspects which had emerged recently. After watching the match for a while longer, it became clear who had the upper hand. There was no doubt that Aang was the superior fighter. Even with the ability to control all four elements, Ozai still lacked sufficient training and techniques in earth, water, and air to merit him any great advantage against the younger and more talented Avatar.

Aang's superior skills were now manifesting themselves. While perhaps he and Ozai were on equal terms in firebending, Ozai was simply no match to Aang in both waterbending, earthbending, and, of course, airbending. Having no background or any real training in those elements, Ozai found that he was having a harder time in the fight than Aang. Aang had been trained with the best of the bending masters, Gyatso, Pakku, Katara, and Toph. And his talent was now giving him an edge in the fight.

But Zuko knew well that a fighter's heart surpassed all the great techniques and talents that he might have. The slightest doubt or hesitation that Aang had would give Ozai enough time to serve a powerful counter attack. Zuko knew that his father was ruthless and unforgiving. Unlike Aang, Ozai would never have any second thoughts about taking another person's life in order to win a battle. And it was that merciful nature of Aang that worried Zuko the most.

As his golden eyes traveled from fighter to fighter, Zuko noticed two figures further down the rocky hill he and Katara were standing atop. Unlike the other people surrounding the area, these two people were not busy watching the duel. One of them seemed injured and the other was busy caring for the former. And both seemed very familiar.

He motioned to Katara and pointed out the figures to her. She nodded in understanding to him and both of them quickly climbed down the steep hill and went towards the two strangers. As they approached the others, Zuko and Katara recognized them as Ursa tending to a wounded Azula. This realization only made the two benders run even faster.

"Mother!" Zuko called out to the lady and Ursa turned a tear-stained face towards her son. She seemed very grateful to see him and she ran to her son and enveloped him in a warm embrace. Zuko returned the hug and looked over his mother's shoulder to his sister's limp body.

Zuko released his mother and walked towards his sister. Ursa had hugged Katara as well while Zuko looked at Azula. The Fire Princess was barely conscious and her chest was heaving. She seemed to have some difficulty breathing and she was filled with bruises, but she didn't seem to be hit by lightning. Katara and Ursa walked towards the siblings.

"She barely made it out of that Agni Kai," Ursa explained tearfully, "she was lucky that my sister arrived when she did. I don't think I would have been able to save her."

Although reluctant at first, out of respect for Ursa, Katara surveyed Azula's injuries. There was nothing very serious. And the young Fire Princess was slowly reviving due to the increase in her firebending powers from the presence of Sozin's comet.

"She's luckier to have someone to tend to her injuries," Katara told Zuko and Ursa, meaning to comfort the mother, "but I'm sure she'll recover very soon."

"That's good to hear," Ursa replied gratefully, with a sigh of relief. She saw the grave expressions on both Zuko and Katara's faces as they looked at Azula. Ursa sighed again.

"I know what you both must feel about Azula, considering all the unsavory deeds she has committed," Ursa explained, "and that's all perfectly understandable."

Both Zuko and Katara averted their eyes awkwardly, silently admitting their discomfort in being so close to Azula at the moment. But Zuko hazarded an uneasy glance at his sister.

"But despite everything she has done," Ursa continued, "nothing can change the fact that she is still my daughter. And I do love her. It really is very painful for a mother to see her child in such circumstances."

Ursa turned back to Azula and laid a hand on the young girl's forehead. Azula moaned softly but her eyes remained close. Zuko walked towards his sister and looked at her gravely. He turned a glance towards his mother as she worried over Azula.

Katara watched the strange-looking family. As much as the waterbender disliked Azula, Katara also felt a little sorry for her. The waterbender thought that despite all that Azula had done to her in the past, perhaps there was still the slightest hint of goodness in her, the smallest tinge of redeeming value in the firebending prodigy, if she came from such a gentle and loving lady as Ursa. After all, Zuko, despite all his flaws in the past, turned out to be a person with a pure heart. Azula was no such person, of course, but perhaps her attitude was a result of a childhood filled with misguidance and the flawed standards of her father. Based on all that she had seen of the Fire Nation royal family, Katara could see how some values could be distorted.

The waterbender looked incredulously as Zuko leaned over his sister almost affectionately and with some pity, with a worried look on his face. In spite of everything, Zuko was still an older brother, Katara realized that now. He who had suffered so much at Azula's hands was still able to find it in his heart to care about her even to the slightest degree. Katara smiled at his forgiving heart and walked towards the mother and her children.

"Let me tend to her wounds," Katara offered, her hands drawing out a glowing orb of water from her gourd. Zuko and Ursa looked up at her in disbelief. She smiled enigmatically.

"Katara," Zuko began incredulously, "you don't have to do this."

"It's not necessary," Ursa protested but Katara shook her head and proceeded to laying the glowing water on Azula's chest. The waterbender had been moved by Ursa and Zuko's concern for Azula and though Katara had no real rush of affection towards the Fire Princess, she felt very generous. As Katara concentrated on healing some and restoring Azula's energy, Ursa laid a hand on her shoulder and whispered a heartfelt "thank you." Katara smiled back, her hands still busy healing Azula. Zuko had expressed his gratitude to her as well before turning his attention back to the duel between Aang and Ozai.

Zuko clenched his fist as he watched. The fight had progressed quite well. Aang was in the lead but both he and Ozai had done a lot of damage in the surrounding area. Explosions and burned patches of earth increased and now the ground was bumpy and full of holes caused by the earthbending. The young prince said nothing as his mother stood beside him and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I feel so useless, mother," Zuko confided in Ursa as they watched the Avatar and the Phoenix King, "I arrived too late to be of any help to Aang."

"But you have helped him already in more ways than one," Ursa replied gently, "you and Katara have been defeating many of the Phoenix King's soldiers and you had taught and trained Aang in firebending. Do not underestimate your contributions to the restoration of peace to this world. You've already done more than enough long before Sozin's comet arrived. And remember that you will have even more to do once this is all over."

"I suppose you're right," Zuko conceded, "but I'm worried about Aang's hesitation. I just don't know if he has the guts to ..."

"I'm sure that he knows what he's doing," Ursa interrupted, knowing what Zuko had been about to say, "and when the moment comes, he will do what he must."

Zuko gave a perplexed look at his mother before nodding.

"I just hope so," he replied, "for all our sakes."

"You worry too much, Zuko," Katara told him, having finished with treating Azula, leaving the female firebender breathing more easily, "you have faith in Aang, don't you?"

"Of course," Zuko said. Katara put a hand on his shoulder.

"Then, that should be more than enough," Katara answered with a smile. Zuko looked at her gratefully.

"I am proud of you, my son," Ursa told Zuko with a smile, "and I have no doubt that you will make a wonderful Fire Lord when this is all over, one that this nation truly needs in order for harmony to return to the world. And with Katara by your side, I am more than certain that you will endure even the greatest of trials."

And with those words, Ursa threw her arms around her only son in another warm and sincere embrace. Surprised by the sudden gesture of affection, Zuko's eyes widened momentarily before returning the embrace. Katara watched the pair with a smile.

"I guess it's time we return to help the others on the battlefield," Zuko told his mother, "that is where we're needed for now."

"Then, be careful, my son," Ursa told Zuko. The lady then faced the waterbender and embraced her as well, in extreme gratitude.

"My dear Katara," Ursa whispered emotionally to the younger girl, "dear to me as a daughter ever could be."

--

Adjusting to the brightness, she blinked her eyes several times to get accustomed to the surroundings. She was still slightly dizzy but she felt so much better and stronger than she had when she had fainted earlier. It took some time to get re-oriented to the loud chaos that seemed both so near and yet so distant from her.

Slowly and carefully, Azula propped herself up with both arms, trying to get a better look around. With narrowed eyes, she saw that Sozin's comet had finally arrived, coloring the entire sky in its fiery glow. In other parts of the field, battles continued to rage between the rebel forces and the Fire Nation. And when Azula stood up and looked towards the arena where she had previously been fighting her father, she saw that the Phoenix King was now busy with another opponent, the Avatar.

Azula rubbed her still sore head, the flurry of activity around her was beginning to make her dizzy and the sights were becoming rather blurred in her vision. She sat down again to rest herself, closing her eyes. She heard voices speaking nearby and she turned her head to where the sounds came from. Squinting, Azula could make out three figures deep in conversation.

The Fire Princess could see the waterbender who had always accompanied the Avatar standing beside two others. Squinting even harder, Azula recognized, her eyes widening in great incredulity, the figure of her older brother, Prince Zuko.

"It can't be," Azula muttered under her breath, "he should not be alive. This is impossible."

And to her greater shock and chagrin, Azula watched as her mother, Ursa, smiled and whispered words of encouragement to Zuko, which was followed by a warm embrace between mother and son. Suddenly, only that scene came into very sharp focus to Azula, and everything else seemed blurred. Her mother was hugging Zuko and Azula had begun to tremble.

Nothing had changed from all those years ago. Ursa had loved Zuko more than her. Their mother had left to save her son, without a single thought to her daughter. Why would Ursa think of her? Azula's brows furrowed.

"My own mother," the incensed Fire Princess remembered, "thought that I was a monster."

So filled with unbridled rage was Azula that she was not even aware of her fists beginning to glow with the blue flames that she was known for. All she could feel was fury and all she could see were the figures of her mother and brother, locked in an embrace together, as if denying her that love. She trembled violently, gritting her teeth, and closing her fists, not noticing that her eyes were welling up with angry tears.

And then, Ursa let go of Zuko, and turned to the waterbender with a smile. And the words the Fire Lady told the other girl were more than enough to push Azula over the edge.

With a scream of desperate rage, Azula launched a large blue fire ball at her brother.

--

Hearing the scream, Zuko was adequately warned and had just enough time to raise his hands to dissolve the fire ball. Ursa and Katara turned in shock to see a hysterical Azula standing in fighting stance, just about to throw another fire ball at her brother.

"Azula!" Ursa cried in fear and alarm, "what are you doing?"

Katara frowned and got into a fighting stance, her water whip at the ready. Though she had been surprised by the attack, she somehow was not surprised by Azula's behavior. But what put Katara more on her guard was Azula's scream and the crazed look in the firebender's eyes.

Zuko had noticed it too and he frowned gravely as he saw the state his sister was in. Her eyes were wide and bloodshot and she looked angrier and wilder than he had ever seen her. All of it seemed so strange and out of character since Azula rarely betrayed her emotions but was always so cool and calculated. But now, she seemed just as high strung and emotional as he used to be. Zuko narrowed his eyes. Never had Azula seemed as dangerous and as deadly as she did now, when something seemed to have snapped within her. Immediately, Zuko jumped to a fighting stance, his arms raised against his sister, after he parried her last blow.

"You!" Azula screamed at Zuko, an unforgiving look in her blazing golden eyes, "you're supposed to be dead!"

She threw another series of blue flames at her brother which he deflected easily. But Zuko did not throw any counterattacks at Azula.

"Sorry to disappoint you," Zuko replied, his eyes never wavering in their focus, as he sliced through Azula's blows.

"So you survived father's attack during the eclipse?" Azula repeated, her attacks becoming fiercer and fiercer as they came in succession, "but I assure you that you won't be as lucky the second time around!"

And with a roar of fury, Azula began advancing towards Zuko, punching, kicking, and throwing deadly darts of fire in his direction. Zuko parried every blow admirably but didn't fire any offensive attacks.

Katara advanced to hit Azula with the water whip but Ursa raised her hand to stop the waterbender. Katara looked abruptly at Ursa with a question in her eyes but when she saw the pained expression on the mother's face, Katara withdrew her hands. The lady approached her daughter.

"Azula," Ursa pleaded tearfully, "please, you must stop this."

Hearing the gentle voice, the enraged firebending princess turned her attention to the speaker, an injured expression on her face. Katara was more shocked to see Azula this way, looking even more deranged than ever, her eyes wide, her usually neat hair in disarray. And there was something in those usually soulless eyes that shocked the waterbender even more – hurt.

"You are brother and sister," Ursa attempted to calm the daughter down, "and you are my children. It pains me to see you quarrel like this. I love you both."

"That's a lie!" Azula screamed back, angry tears welling up in her eyes as she glared murderously, pointing her fingers at her mother, "that's a lie! I know what you really think of me! I'm nothing but a monster to you!"

"That's not true, Azula," Ursa replied sadly, tears flowing from her eyes, "I love you, Azula!"

"Shut up, shut up!" Azula shrieked, covering her ears with her hands, "stop lying to me."

"She's not lying, Azula," Zuko intervened, taking the risk of walking a few steps closer to his sister, "you have to stop this now."

Azula continued to cover her ears and shake her head as both her mother and brother pleaded her and coaxed her to stay calm. She couldn't stand their pitiful, patronizing faces and all she could remember was seeing Zuko and Ursa embracing as she lay injured on the ground. Azula had not noticed that her injuries had been healed and that she had regained all her strength. She had attributed her surge of power to her anger and the presence of the comet.

It had been painful beyond words to see Zuko and Ursa hugging. It had seemed to Azula that while her mother had tended to her when she was injured, the moment Zuko arrived, Ursa had abandoned her. And such preference was already a hurtful blow. None of their words could console her. Especially after Ursa had referred to the waterbender as a "daughter." Now, Azula turned her attention to Katara, her eyes ablaze in fury.

"How could you, mother?" Azula spat ruefully, "how could you call this filthy Water Tribe peasant your daughter?"

Katara frowned and kept her defensive stance but she could also understand where Azula was coming from. The firebender launched an attack at her which Zuko quickly blocked, standing in front of Katara.

"Leave her out of this, Azula," the brother warned, "she had nothing to do with this."

"Oh, I see," Azula said in mock realization, "you two are together. And therefore since you are mother's ONLY, dearest child, she considers your waterbender peasant a daughter too."

"Stop saying that I don't love you, Azula, I do," Ursa continued to insist. But all the lady's explanations had fallen on deaf ears. Azula refused to believe her and Azula's hysteria only rose as they time passed.

"Lies, lies," Azula muttered, "all lies!!!"

"You're delusional, Azula," Zuko told her, "you have to calm down!"

"Shut up, Zuzu," Azula retorted angrily, throwing blue darts of fire at him which he deflected, "I don't take orders from you!"

"Zuko, we have to stop her before she hurts herself," Katara whispered to the Fire Prince.

The waterbender had grown more and more worried about the tense state they were all in. A short distance away, they could all sense that Aang and Ozai were continuing their decisive fight but here deeper wounds were being inflicted on a broken family. Katara had no idea on how to resolve such a crisis but she knew that whatever the solution would be, it had to happen very soon.

They were lucky enough that Azula had done no great damage on any of them yet but she had possession of her full powers and she was driven by the unpredictable and dangerous force of extreme emotions. There was no telling what she would do next.

"You have to let me handle this alone, Katara," Zuko said quietly. The waterbender and Ursa protested saying that he would still need help in facing his sister. But Zuko was adamant and he shook his head at their protests.

"She's not herself," Zuko explained, "I think I can face her completely. And this way, no one else has to get hurt."

Katara and Ursa looked at him gravely before nodding and standing out of the way.

The princess just continued screaming and fighting with Zuko, not listening to her mother's desperate pleas, and attempting to land blows on Katara which Zuko did not allow her to succeed in. The waterbender decided to defend Ursa, and she held the sobbing fire lady close, in order to shield her from her daughter's wild attacks. Azula hurled insult upon insult on her brother, daring him, provoking him to attack her more fiercely. But Zuko would not fall for the same bait. He did not intend to kill his sister.

"So I hear you are to become the Fire Lord, Zuzu," Azula taunted, her anger rising, and the madness in her eyes growing, "you're the poorest candidate for the job, if you ask me."

She followed this with kicking a large explosion of fire towards her brother which he dissolved with ease.

"You have to stop this now, Azula," Zuko told his sister, "you're going to lose."

"Am I?" Azula repeated scornfully, "I don't think so. I'm a firebending prodigy. I can settle this fight easily."

"Then leave Katara and mother out of this," Zuko challenged her, "this is between you and me."

"Are you challenging me to an Agni Kai, Zuzu?" Azula asked with a sadistic smile.

"Yes," Zuko said determinedly, his eyes narrowing.

"Great," Azula replied with peculiar excitement, her eyes glowing with anticipation, her hands raised, "I accept."

There was one brief moment of stillness before the attacks began. And this time, the exchanges of flames were so fast and so intense that the untrained eye would not be able to detect who was firing at whom. The only indication of the attacker would be the color of flames used. Azula, of course, was using her trademark blue flames which clashed against Zuko's crimson and gold ones. The longer the fight lasted, the further Ursa and Katara had to go from the site as the danger levels of the fight rose with every kick of fire and every sheet of flame exchanged between brother and sister. Large blasts of blue and gold tinged the sky, joining with the great explosions from where Aang and Ozai were fighting. All those fighting in the war balloons overhead were curious about the colorful blasts occurring below them but then, there was very little time for them to pause in their fighting to enjoy the fire works.

Ursa had her face in her hands, unwilling to continue watching her two children fighting against one another. She knew that Zuko would never kill Azula but the same standard didn't hold the same for the sister. Katara had her arms around the weeping mother, trying to comfort her while keeping her eye on the Agni Kai. She had witnessed a fire duel before but not one as intense and as magnificent as this one. The comet was clearly a big factor in raising the degree of the firebending. Not only that, but Zuko's extensive training and experience had rendered him an equal match to his talented sister. The heat continued to grow and explosions sent rocks flying in all directions.

Hearing the commotion coming from a different part of the field, Melisande and Iroh made their way to Ursa and Katara. Melisande took over hugging Ursa while Katara explained the situation to Iroh. He and Melisande exchanged grave looks before turning their eyes towards the dueling pair. Both of them knew and understood that while it was possible for them to intervene in the fight, this would not be wise. Something had to be settled between Zuko and Azula that only they could finish.

"I'm certain that Zuko will be able to finish this," Iroh observed, trying to allay everyone's fears, "but it will be difficult – for both of them."

Katara said nothing but clenched her fist as she watched the Agni Kai, worried for Zuko. She had never seen him concentrate so hard or fight so well as this. She was also vaguely aware of Aang and the Phoenix King battling each other nearby. So much was happening around her, so much would be decided, and yet, she stood by, watching and not acting. She sighed heavily, also understanding that she could not leave Ursa's side, or go elsewhere without knowing the results of the Agni Kai. So she had to watch in tense anticipation and fearful suspense.

The biggest explosion yet occurred between the siblings. Katara and the others had to raise their hands to shield themselves from the impact of the blast. They took a few steps back and tried to make out the figures through the billowing smoke from the explosion.

"This has gone on long enough, Azula," Zuko shouted over the chaos, his stance still firm and his hands raised in a defensive position. Around him there were burnt patches of ground and more smoke.

Azula was panting heavily now, her hair in greater disarray, and her eyes wide in surprise. She had not expected Zuko to survive the blast. But apparently, he did, and he was still in better shape than she was. Once again, she was struggling to stand straight, so great was her exertion and emotion, which had drained much of her energy. Her topknot had come undone and her long, dark hair now fell across her shoulders, some strands straying across her perspiring face. She had underestimated her brother. It seemed that he had greatly improved in his firebending. She had at first believed that she would defeat him the same way she always had. But apparently, so much had changed since she last faced him in a fight.

"You're going to lose," Zuko told his sister, only provoking another attack from her which he parried and sent back, in greater force. Gasping, Azula jumped aside just in time but landed slightly clumsily, no longer in her graceful, cool style.

"You have to stop this now," Zuko told her, approaching his panting sister, "it's over."

Azula gritted her teeth and suppressed a wince. She glared murderously at her brother, as she relaxed her hands at her sides, taking a deep breath, and putting her fingers in position. Zuko watched her carefully, anticipating her next move. He had seen her get into this stance many times before and he knew what was coming. He took a deep breath as well, intensifying his concentration.

The smoke cleared and Katara, Ursa, Melisande, and Iroh could see both siblings standing face to face, calm and deadly. Observing their stances, Melisande and Iroh knew at once what Azula was about to do. They turned nervously to Zuko who seemed calm and collected. Katara noticed their distress and asked what was wrong. Once everything had been explained to her, she too grew apprehensive. They all prayed that this final, decisive face-off would not go awry.

"You're a fool, Zuzu," Azula answered, in her usual acidic tone, as she began a series of movements which brought about that bright, deadly, crackling plasma, "it isn't over for me. But it is for you."

And with loud maniacal laughter, Azula summoned all her remaining strength, her golden eyes reflecting the power she had coursing through her. Then, with her fingers carefully aimed, Azula threw lightning at her brother. The moment the crackling plasma left her fingertips, she smiled with smug satisfaction...

...which made it all the more shocking when Zuko redirected the lightning. Azula jumped out of the way as a mound of earth exploded where she had been standing only moments before. Stunned and defeated, the firebending prodigy fell to her knees, hot tears flowing down her cheeks as her wide eyes looked around the scene. Her eyes closed for the second time that day, and she no longer heard the noises of the battle around her, or saw her mother running towards her followed by her brother, aunt, and uncle as well as the Water Tribe girl. It was over.

--

They stood together, on top of a narrow mound of earth raised very high above their battle ground. All around them, the fighting continued but their own duel had come to a standstill. No one else could see them as they were on that pinnacle of earth. Sozin's comet glowed and burned where it hovered above them. And there was a stillness on that peak, an eerie quiet, like the silence that preceded a great fall.

The Phoenix King was lying down, his hands and legs pinned down by strong shackles of metal and earth. His long, dark hair was in disarray and he was panting heavily, sweat pouring down his face. He wore an enraged expression on his face which also showed how futile he believed any attack would be on him. But he could make no move, no attack, nothing. Just like his forefathers, Phoenix King Ozai had grossly underestimated his opponent. And at that agonizing and humiliating moment, he was paying the price for his miscalculation.

For standing above him, one hand pulling his beard, and another aiming a fire dart at a sensitive vein on the Phoenix King's exposed neck, was the young Avatar, his eyes and arrow tattoos glowing, a threatening glare on his young face. But Ozai had one more weapon left in his arsenal, one last resort which, if his judgment of character was not wholly inaccurate, could still get him out of this mess.

"Well," Ozai asked, despite the difficulty of speaking due to the pressure on his beard, "what are you waiting for? You've already won this fight. This is your chance to fulfill your destiny. Why don't you just kill me and get this all over with?"

Ozai flinched slightly as the glowing of Aang's tattoos grew momentarily brighter. There had been resolution in the Avatar's every movement up until this moment. Now, there was the slightest hint of hesitation.

Aang thought well about what Ozai had just told him. This was indeed his chance to fulfill his destiny – to end the century-long war and to restore balance to the world. All he had done for the past months, every experience and trial he had endured, everything had led up to this one, final moment. Even his past lives had counseled him to be decisive, just, active, and to do whatever it takes to save the world.

And yet, despite all these convictions and arguments, now that he had the opportunity, Aang simply could not bring himself to kill the Phoenix King. One idea, one persisting notion, gave the gentle, peace-loving boy a mental nudge, and he simply could not shake it off.

_No one has the right to take another person's life, no matter what the justification._

And it was that painfully brief moment of hesitation that gave the Fire Lord the opportunity, to break through the shackles and to send a powerful attack straight at the Avatar. Having no time to retaliate, Aang was hit hard and his small body was sent flying from the top of the mound to the ground below.

Zuko, Katara, and the others whirled around when they heard the Phoenix King's triumphant laughter and they were just in time to see the Avatar's body descend.

--

_Whew, that was tough on me. Sorry again for the delay. Thankfully, this did not take as long as the last one. But it still did drain a lot out of me. Damn fight scenes. Sorry for my lack of imagination and the repetition of fighting terms. My vocabulary in that field is painfully limited so you will have to excuse me. Emotions run high in this chapter and in those to come so you have much to look forward to. This is my re-write of the finale and I don't expect it to be as good but hopefully, it is satisfactory as fan fiction._

_But the battles are necessary if the outcomes are to be as epic as I want them to be. Again, I am being very ambitious with this but I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The end is not far off but as you can see, there is much still to be done._

_Thank you all for your continued support and encouragement._


	23. Part Three, Chapter 6

An Alliance of Traitors

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender" – among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO**

The injured Avatar landed safely in the arms of several of his allies, who had rushed immediately to his aid when they saw the Phoenix King's latest actions. The roar of triumphant laughter coming from Ozai echoed across the scorched plain as Zuko, Katara, Melisande, and Iroh carried Aang away to safety and healing.

Using his earthbending, the Phoenix King lowered himself from his lofty platform to see what had become of his opponent. He laughed even louder as he saw Aang being carried away. Throwing a huge shield of fire towards the Avatar's rescuers, Ozai smiled with contentment. Melisande and Iroh were able to block and dissolve the attack, giving the others time to escape. Fortunately, the triumphant Phoenix King did not seem to be in the mood to continue the fight.

"Pathetic," Ozai taunted, "really pathetic, Avatar. Running away like a coward and leaving your weak subordinates to cover up for you. My, my, how you disappoint me."

He erupted into another round of derisive mirth which the others tried hardest to ignore. Iroh and Melisande built a shield of fire against Ozai's subsequent attacks, clearing the path for Katara to find a safer place to heal Aang. They ran away as fast as they could, trying to hold back their anxieties and to focus on getting the Avatar back to himself. Aang was unconscious as Zuko carried him but the soft moans of pain coming from the young airbender were enough to allay some of the others' fears. Nevertheless, he was very badly injured.

Soon, the Phoenix King showed no more interest in pursuing his opponent. There was no point in doing that anymore. After all, he had clearly won the fight against the Avatar and there was no longer anything the others could do about it. As far as Ozai was concerned, the world was now his completely.

He was so engrossed in his victory that he failed to notice the face of the young firebender who held the Avatar in his arms. This was all well and good for the others as Ozai's gloating gave them just ample opportunity to escape. But Melisande and Iroh's fire shields would not last very long and it did not help that both firebenders still had yet to fully recover from the injuries they incurred from their battle with Ozai. Even the comet's augmenting powers in firebending was not enough to make them both capable of adequately resisting Ozai's attacks should he decide to take them seriously.

What exacerbated the situation was the strange invisible wave of sadness that seemed to have spread across the land with the fall of the Avatar. Although not all the people present had witnessed the entire fight, many had looked up during the final moments of the duel and many had seen the small, helpless body of Aang being tossed off the precipice. With his descent, it seemed that all the hope that the rebels had sustained all throughout the battle had been drained from them, and sorrow and despair threatened to make short work of their entire struggle. Before the sadness, there had been a wave of shock and utter disbelief on the part of the Avatar's allies and many simply could not bring themselves to accept that their last hope for peace had failed in his mission. But unfortunately for them, the Phoenix King's triumphant laughter echoed across the plains, confirming their worst fears and bringing a shadow upon them all. And although it was difficult to admit it, many had succumbed to that dark and painful thought that all hope was lost.

Putting enough distance between them and Ozai, Katara and the others gently laid Aang down on the ground. They had all run back to where Ursa had gently put Azula to sleep. Appa and Momo walked towards where their friend was lain and the large sky-bison gave a moan of sorrow. Momo chirped in concern as well.

Holding back her tears and willing herself to concentrate like she had never done before, Katara raised her hands, summoning the water from her gourd and spreading it upon the large wound on Aang's back. The water began to glow but still Aang made no move and no sound. Raising the water and returning it her gourd, Katara decided on another course of action. With trembling fingers, Katara reached inside her bag and carefully brought out a small vial of water.

Zuko saw the vial and recognized it as the vial of water from the Spirit Oasis of the North Pole. He narrowed his eyes and hoped with all his might that whatever magical properties that water had, it would be enough to heal the Avatar's wounds. The others watched in painful suspense as Katara applied the glowing liquid to the young airbender's wounds. Iroh and Zuko gave each other grave looks while the twin sisters, Ursa and Melisande, held each other's hands as they waited for Katara to finish.

After a few moments, the glow of the Spirit Oasis water seemed to have been extinguished. For one brief moment of silence and suspense, the others held their breath. And then, much to everyone's relief, the arrow tattoo on Aang's forehead glowed momentarily and the young Avatar began coughing softly. Tears flowing down her cheek, Katara could not help but smile and gently hold the airbender in her arms. Zuko and Iroh heaved sighs of relief while Ursa and Melisande embraced each other tightly.

A loud crash sounded nearby and all of them were reminded of the situation at hand. While the Phoenix King had not bothered to give chase to the Avatar, so convinced was he that the airbender was no longer a threat, he now proceeded to finish the rest of his plans while the comet still hung about the sky. Using what little earthbending he could handle, Ozai was making his way towards the Earth Kingdom, in order to destroy the remaining free lands in the Four Nations. All this time, he had not stopped cackling sadistically, the dreadful echo of his jubilation sending chills down everyone's spine, even those of his own men.

Hearing this horrific noise, Aang roused himself with difficulty. Katara scolded him and told him not to try to move.

"You shouldn't exert yourself yet, Aang," the healer told her obstinate patient, "I have not finished tending your wounds and you're much too weak to fight."

"But I have to stop him," Aang protested, "I have to do my duty to the world."

"You're in no condition to do so," Katara continued to scold, "and I will not allow you to do it."

"Don't you understand?" Aang protested, albeit weakly, "there's no time to waste. Ozai's going to take over the world. Someone has to stop him."

"And someone will," Zuko interrupted, a determined look on his face. Katara, Aang, Iroh, Ursa, and Melisande gazed up at him in shock and alarm. But as was his stubborn custom, it seemed that Zuko had already made up his mind on the matter.

"Don't be ridiculous, Zuko," Melisande warned him, "you're no match to your father. Only the Avatar can defeat him."

This was followed by various loud protests from all the people present there, all arguing against Zuko's going after his father. He listened with lessening patience as the others tried to persuade him to abandon such a reckless campaign. Everyone expressed their fear and worry about the matter (even Appa gave a protesting roar) but Zuko assured them that he was capable of facing his father.

"It's my responsibility and only I can finish the job," Aang protested, although his constant wincing betrayed his pain and injury.

"This isn't the time to steal the limelight, Zuko," Melisande scolded, "you're having delusions of grandeur."

"She's right," Ursa said in a gentler tone, "I don't think this was the bigger role in destiny which I had in mind."

"You must think this through, nephew," Iroh argued adamantly.

"It's too dangerous," Katara added, worry creasing her face, concern for both Aang and Zuko causing her much stress.

Zuko closed his eyes and waited for the tirades to end before he replied. He looked at all of them earnestly, his eyes betraying his determination.

"You don't understand," the young firebender explained, "I'm not going to do this out of any desire for glory or renown. I am well aware that the only person who can defeat my father is the Avatar. But Aang is injured and my father is proceeding to wreak havoc on the world. We cannot allow that to happen, we cannot allow him to win. I am only going to challenge my father, to distract him from continuing with all his plans, so we can buy some time while Katara heals Aang and he recovers from his injuries."

Understanding his motives, the others nodded. They looked at where Katara continued to tend to the Avatar's wounds and knew that Zuko was right. Aang needed some time to regain his strength before he faced the Phoenix King again.

"Fine," Melisande conceded first, "but you're not going alone. Iroh and I are going with you. It's much too risky to take this on alone."

"No, Aunt, I'm afraid I won't let that happen," Zuko protested, raising a hand. Melisande and Iroh raised their eyebrows at his gesture.

"With all due respect," Zuko explained slowly, "both you and Uncle Iroh also have incurred many serious injuries at my father's hands. You both need to recover and regain your strength as well."

"But--," both Melisande and Iroh began to protest, but they were cut off once again by their obstinate nephew.

"Besides," Zuko added, "once you do recover your powers, I believe you will be more needed on the battlefield, leading the others. I'm still fresh and uninjured, I stand a better chance of delaying my father. You know that."

"And who gave you the authority to decide where we shall be needed?" Melisande retorted, though not completely angry. She just felt unaccustomed to being addressed in such a manner by her nephew. Iroh placed a hand on her shoulder and nodded.

"Again, with all due respect," Zuko continued, putting emphasis on the word "respect," "I believe that the rest of our forces will be needing your leadership and encouragement. By now, word would have reached them that the Avatar has fallen. They will need figures to give them new hope and to boost their morale."

"He's right, Melisande," Iroh agreed, and Melisande could not help but nod her head as well

They all made their final preparations to depart to the different parts of the field. Ursa helped tend to Melisande and Iroh's injuries and the two firebenders discussed their strategies and plans to help the others on the field.

"Just promise me you'll be careful," Melisande told her nephew with a smile. Zuko nodded and promised his aunt. He hugged his aunt, uncle, and mother tightly and warmly before walking to the waterbender and the Avatar.

Katara had been busy healing Aang but she had not missed a word of the discussions between the firebenders. She gave a worried look at Zuko but she did not want to say anything any more. Neither did Zuko. Instead, he simply gave the girl and warm and tight embrace which she returned eagerly, all her worry and hope expressed in that one gesture.

"Don't worry," Zuko whispered to her earnestly, "I promise to come back."

Releasing each other after a few moments, Zuko prepared to leave. Before doing so, he approached the ailing Avatar and offered some words of encouragement. The young boy was still a little pale but already he was looking better than he did when they had rescued him from his fall. But nevertheless, it would still take some time before Aang would be ready to face the Phoenix King again.

"I'm sure you'll get through this, Aang," Zuko told the airbender, "you're not alone in this fight. You will fulfill your destiny, I'm sure of it."

"Thanks, Zuko," Aang replied softly, smiling feebly at his friend. Zuko patted the boy's back lightly.

"I'll hold him off as long as I can," Zuko said finally before sprinting towards the Phoenix King. Hopefully, Zuko thought to himself, that will be enough time for Aang to regain all his strength.

--

"Are you sure that it was Aang you saw?" Toph asked Sokka anxiously.

They were both aboard one of the Mechanist's war balloons and so far they had succeeded in bringing down several of the Phoenix King's larger war balloons through a combination of creative attacks Even with the comet's amplification of firebending, the rebels had somehow been able to ward them off successfully. Their increase in enthusiasm could also be attributed to the arrival of their friend, the Avatar. All the members of the allied forces had given a shout of triumph the moment they heard that Aang had begun fighting against the Phoenix King. It had seemed that things were finally going their way after one hundred years. In an instant, every member of the Allied Forces was getting into the battle with more vigor and determination than ever. They were able to fend off even the strengthened forces of the Fire Nation. It has become quite a difficult struggle for all of them but for as long as they saw the sparks and explosions coming from the distant Agni Kai arena, knowing that the Avatar was fighting along with them, they were invigorated and pumped to continue the battle for as long as it was necessary.

But then, things took a turn for the worse the moment someone spread the news that the Avatar had fallen. Those boarded on the war balloons had seen the descent most accurately and were reluctant to relay the news to the rest of their companions. None of them could afford to lose hope now, not at this critical juncture.

Toph was incredulous when she heard Sokka describe what had just happened and she grabbed the Water Tribe warrior's armor in angry disbelief. She shook Sokka hard, as if she would be able to shake off her denial by doing so. Everything had been going so well. And now this.

"I'm sure, Toph," Sokka replied softly, as if he did not want to believe it himself. But he had seen Aang fall, with his own two eyes. And it had been the hardest thing to believe. He was almost envious of Toph who, being blind, was spared the sight of their dearest friend being so devastatingly defeated. Everyone else on the war balloon with them was silent for those few, depressing moments, unsure of how to proceed, still incredulous.

An explosion rocked one side of the war balloon and they all snapped out of their stupor, remembering why they were there. Toph was the first to break the painful silence.

"Don't just stand there," the feisty earthbender said, "we still have a war to win."

The others looked at her and nodded, admiring her courage and her calmness in spite of what had just happened.

"I wouldn't worry about Aang," Toph said, sounding more like she was trying to convince herself, "he'll get through this, but he's going to need our help. So get moving!"

And in a moment, everyone was scurrying to and fro, going back to their stations, and performing all their assigned tasks without hesitation. Toph was right, of course, and Sokka was thankful for her presence of mind. Looking down, he remembered seeing Aang being caught and rescued by several people, firebenders from the looks of it. Sokka also knew that Katara was down there and he was certain that if anyone could heal the Avatar, his sister could. Sokka narrowed his brave blue eyes and returned to the helm of the war balloon, resuming his leadership duties. This wasn't over yet.

--

"I've failed, Katara," Aang said despondently, as the waterbender continued to place her glowing water over his wounds. Katara was losing her energy as well with all the exertion she had to do to heal all his injuries. She had made short work of all the minor bruises and abrasions as well as a burn mark here and there. By this time, she had cleaned and healed his other injuries and had only to completely heal the largest and most recent wound the Phoenix King had inflicted upon him – physically.

However, more difficult than healing his physical wounds, Katara was having a harder time trying to heal his spiritual ones. He was dejected and depressed, forced to take a backseat on what was supposed to be his sole purpose. Katara had comforted him before, cheered him up, encouraged him, but she saw that in this instance, it would take all her energy and skills in comforting to be able to get him back on his feet. The Phoenix King had broken him, in more ways than one.

"That's not true, Aang," Katara told him, "this isn't finished yet. You still have a chance of defeating him."

"You don't understand," Aang replied loudly, a strange edge in his eyes, "I had my chance. And I blew it. I had him then, and he was defenseless. I, I could have finished it right then and there, defeated the Fire Lord, ended the war, restored peace and balance to the world. But I didn't, I couldn't."

Katara allowed him to ramble on, to let all his pent up emotions out. She understood that Aang needed to say all of these things not to her but to himself, to hear himself try and make sense of his struggles. Momo climbed on the airbender's shoulder, trying to comfort his friend. Appa simply sat nearby, offering his soft coat as a pillow for Aang.

"I just couldn't," the dejected Avatar continued, a sob coming to his voice, "I knew what I had to do. But at that moment, when everything could have been decided by a single blow, I still could not accept that the only solution to all this was to take someone else's life. Never mind that this life would be that of a horrible, evil man who had inflicted so much pain and suffering, and even death on so many for so long. I just could not bring myself to kill him. And it was that moment of hesitation which gave him the chance to tip the scales, my hesitation, my weakness."

"You aren't weak, Aang," Katara told him, "you just did what you thought was right. You're not the Phoenix King. He has no qualms about taking the life of another human being. You are not like that. And maybe, you don't have to kill him to defeat him, I don't know. But one thing I do know: you are not going to be strong enough to do anything if you fuss and worry like that. You have to rest. Zuko and everyone are doing all they can to buy you some time. So take a deep breath and lie down. Calm yourself and regain your strength."

"Thank you, Katara," the Avatar replied with a weak smile, squeezing his waterbending master's hand fondly, "for everything."

She smiled back and gently laid his head on Appa's soft coat. He did as he was told, took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying again to clear his mind and regain all his energy. He also tried to remember all the gifts of wisdom Gyatso and the other Avatars had given him when he had still been in the giant's cave. He needed their wisdom now more than ever.

Watching him finally settle down, Katara heaved a sigh of relief, and temporarily released his wound. It was healing slowly but surely and it was only a matter of time now before Aang would be ready to rejoin the battle.

_A matter of time, _Katara thought, and she could not help but look towards the horizon where she saw a great exchange of crimson and gold flames tinging the sky. Leaning against a nearby boulder, she closed her eyes. She was exhausted as well, probably just as drained as everyone else on the battlefield. In her mind she tried to visualize what it was like out there for Zuko, facing who could be the greatest opponent he had ever faced – his own father. She hoped with all her heart that he would be safe and that there would be enough time for Aang to recover.

Glancing once more to where the young airbender lay peacefully, either asleep or away to his own world that she would never be able to reach, Katara hoped for the best. Since circumstances were dire, now was the time when being optimistic was most needed.

"We're going to see this through," Katara whispered, more to herself than to anyone else, "I know we will."

--

He had finally caught up with the Phoenix King. Ozai had his back to him, which was very much to Zuko's advantage. Here would be another confrontation, but one deadlier than the last. This time, there was no escape plan, no dummy, no reinforcements. And so much depended on his success this time around. Taking a deep breath to muster all his strength, Zuko took aim at the moving block of earth that bore the Phoenix King, and launched a powerful fire blast.

To the Phoenix King's surprise, he felt the earth move under his feet. All of a sudden, he had lost his balance because the earth block he had been bending to transport him elsewhere had exploded beneath him. With a quick punch of fire, he was able to delay his fall and to land safely on flat ground, watching as the block of earth broke into a million pieces. Infuriated, the Phoenix King turned to see his assailant. Seeing the attacker, Ozai's eyes widened in even greater shock.

Zuko said nothing but instead got into a defensive stance, his arms poised and ready to attack. Ozai was dumbfounded and incredulous, unable to register the image of the person before him in his mind. Memories of the day of the eclipse flashed before him. Fire Lord Ozai (as he was then) knew that he was not a delusional man. He clearly and distinctively remembered throwing lightning at his son and killing him. Zuko had died that day. So what was he doing here? Was it really him? Or some strange hallucination?

Taking advantage of his father's incredulity, Zuko launched a series of fierce attacks, punching fire and kicking huge flames in his father's direction. Running around the Phoenix King, Zuko created a fence of fire, keeping the man at the center. Zuko then raised his arms and built a protective wall of fire around himself as well, to shield him from future attacks. The fire duel had just begun.

Ozai had barely enough time to deflect all the initial blows and before he could launch adequate counterattacks, he found himself enclosed within a fence of fire. There was no difficulty in escaping this predicament, however, and he easily manipulated the fire and sent them in the direction of his attacker. The great Phoenix King was still not as alert as he had been, as he was still struggling with the belief of the identity of his new opponent. He was certain by now that the person was no hallucination. He was, in fact, flesh and blood, and a pretty capable firebender at that. But Ozai still could not name him.

"It's impossible," Ozai muttered to himself, "it can't be Zuko." He continued launching attacks which the opponent skillfully evaded.

"Whoever you are," Ozai finally addressed his foe, "you're a fool if you think you can take on the Phoenix King all by yourself." This was followed by several attacks using both firebending and earthbending. The opponent dodged the flaming rocks with ease and the Phoenix King laughed derisively at the lack of offensive moves coming from the other firebender. Ozai now knew and was absolutely certain that he was not fighting a ghost.

"Don't you recognize me, father?" Zuko said finally, challenging his father by making a complicated movement and launching a huge fire whip at the Phoenix King, "have you forgotten the face you scarred three years ago?"

"You died during the eclipse," Ozai replied, throwing counter attacks, "and it has been longer that you have been dead to me, Zuko."

Unhurt by those scathing words, focusing on the task at hand, Zuko continued to attack his father, using small amounts of energy, and simply trying to prolong the fight as long as he could. And to be able to do this, Zuko knew that he had to conserve his energy.

"I don't care how you escaped then, there is no escape for you now," Ozai warned him, "and I assure you that this time, I will destroy your corpse until there is nothing left of you but a pile of ashes!"

With a loud roar, Ozai sent a wall of fire bearing down on Zuko. The latter took a deep breath and with spreading both arms, he dissolved the attack expertly. With sharp and decisive strikes, Zuko threw more fire balls in his father's direction. And while Ozai was momentarily distracted, Zuko raised both his arms and with specific patterns and twitching his fingers, he created a shield which Ozai had never encountered before. It was composed of a fire wall that enclosed Zuko which had eight whips of fire, bent by Zuko in any direction that his opponent wished to attack him. It was the octopus, and Zuko's own personal innovation. He had used it successfully in another Agni Kai and he knew that such an unconventional attack would throw his father off at least for a while.

With rapid flicks of his fingers and extensions of his hands, he sent the fire whips lashing at the Phoenix Lord. With careful and expert manipulation, the fiery tentacles lashed out at the Phoenix King and withdrew just as he was about to cut them off with a quick jab. This continuous taunting enraged Ozai even more but whatever attack he sent towards Zuko was blocked and parried by the tentacles of Zuko's fire octopus. Zuko's eyes were narrowed as he concentrated on using the technique he had learned from watching Katara waterbend. It served him well but after several more blows, Ozai decided to use his other skills.

"That's an interesting trick, Zuko," Ozai said loudly in mock praise of the other firebender, "but I'm afraid it won't be enough to stop me!"

With a shout, Ozai raised his right leg and brought it down powerfully on the ground and with that great stomp, he used earthbending to destabilize the ground on which Zuko was standing. Unfortunately for the Phoenix King, Zuko was well accustomed to such an earthbending trick, having been training with Toph for the past few weeks. Anticipating the impact on the ground, Zuko easily leaped out of the way and propelled by jets of fire, he launched himself while simultaneously kicking fire towards his father. With a twist and an interesting somersault, Zuko landed on a nearby boulder, several feet away from where he had been standing.

Ozai growled with annoyance at the evasion of what he thought was a sneak attack. He aimed his fist at the boulder Zuko was standing on and it exploded into thousands of tiny stones but once again, Zuko had leaped out of the way, just in time and landed right behind his father. Ozai twisted around just in time to kick a flame in Zuko's face and with some basic airbending, blow Zuko several feet away. Caught unawares, Zuko winced as he hit another large boulder and fell to the ground. He heard his father laughing nearby, and though he was slightly sore, the younger firebender quickly got up and raised his hands in a defensive stance. However, with a wicked glance and a rapid flick of his wrist, Ozai earthbended the ground from beneath Zuko's feet and the younger fighter stumbled and fell.

"Not so quick on your feet now, are you?" Ozai taunted Zuko, following this with a loud and merciless laugh. Zuko frowned but refused to take the bait. He tried to get up slowly, while his father continued to cackle, absorbed in his victory. Zuko took this time to catch his breath. After all, the goal was not really to defeat Ozai, but to stall him, for as long as it was possible. And seeing him so blinded with pride and ambition, Zuko knew that his father would spend quite some time gloating over his tentative defeat of the Avatar. But Ozai was determined to destroy him, as well. Zuko knew he had to be ready for the next set of attacks.

Seeing that the fight had resumed, Ozai laughed some more and raising himself up on a platform of earth, he ignited his hands and began raining fire on his son. Zuko blocked his attacks and sent them flying back towards Ozai. The latter sliced through every fire ball and even extinguished some of Zuko's blows with some airbending. More experienced with fighting an airbender, Zuko was able to dodge and avoid many of Ozai's attacks and he continued to send small but precise jets of fire to distract his father. He didn't risk any bigger blows, but he hoped his father would not see his intentions. Somehow, Ozai seemed to believe that he had killed the Avatar. All the better.

"You know,"Ozai mocked as he continued his fight with his son, "while your firebending has significantly improved from its former abysmal state, you still are the same idealistic, reckless fool that you were three years ago."

Zuko ignored the tirade and focused on attacking with renewed vigor. The more and the longer his father talked, no matter how insulting his words were, the better it was for them all. Ozai sent another powerful gust of wind towards Zuko which Zuko dodged and he returned fire with about a dozen discs of hot flames. Ozai extinguished them with a wave of his hand and redirected some of them to Zuko.

"Has your exile taught you nothing?" Ozai taunted, now trying some lightning on his son, which Zuko redirected skillfully, "you are no match for me. And it was a foolish thing to so much as speak up against me. You're still the cowardly, weak idiot I faced three years ago. I'm surprised that abomination on your face hasn't constantly reminded you of this."

"You're wrong, father," Zuko replied, spinning and delivering several blows at his father, "I've learned everything that I needed to. And if this scar reminds me of anything, it's the thought that I may be your son, but I am nothing like you. And I'm grateful for that."

Enraged, Ozai sent a powerful wave of earthbending towards his son. This time, Zuko was not able to leap to stabler ground, so wide was the coverage of the attack. He tripped and struggled to get back on his feet, listening to his father's loud and triumphant cackling at his current predicament.

While Ozai laughed, Zuko risked a careful glance towards where he left Katara and Aang. He hoped that the Avatar was recovering fast. The Agni Kai between father and son was not half done, but Zuko hoped that it would be long enough. He turned his attention back to his father and while the older man was distracted, Zuko sprinted to another side of the battle field, raising his hands with defensive shields of fire. He would do whatever it takes to help the Avatar.

--

Back on the battlefield, Iroh had returned to some of the troops, specifically those firebenders who had turned on their nation and decided to fight on their side. The revered old master Jeong Jeong headed this division of the allied forces army and since he and his soldiers had increased power because of the comet, they were able to hold their own against the Phoenix King's army. It also helped that most of these deserters were firebending masters who had much more experience than their opponents.

Despite their progress, Iroh noticed that there was a hint of sadness shadowing the fighters as they engaged their enemies. His rejoining the troops boosted their morale, feeling more confident about winning with the Dragon of the West on their side. Consulting Jeong Jeong in between firing attacks, Iroh found out that they had received reports of the Avatar's fall. Iroh decided to reassure them.

"Have no fear, everyone," Iroh consoled his allies, "the Avatar is by no means defeated. The Phoenix King simply dealt a rather powerful blow to him but he is still alive and is recovering from his injuries through the healing of his waterbending master, Katara. And he will be resuming his fight with the Phoenix King very soon."

The effect of such good news was immediate and Iroh smiled as he saw the firebenders and other soldiers of the Fire Nation resuming their fight with renewed fervor. Jeong Jeong nodded gratefully to Iroh as they continued.

"It would be best, General Iroh," the old firebender advised, "if the rest of the troops heard this good news."

"My sentiments exactly," Iroh agreed and taking leave of the old firebender, Iroh made his way to the coast, where the Water Tribe was engaged in naval warfare, joined by the former crew of Zuko's ship, led by Lieutenant Jee. The ship official welcomed Iroh warmly and everyone again immediately began fighting with more energy once Iroh relayed the news that the Avatar was recovering from his injuries. Lieutenant Jee sent signals to the other ships, especially Chief Arnook's contingent, to communicate the news.

Seeing the positive effect taking place once more, Iroh proceeded once more on land to where the non-bending division was engaged in battle. Iroh told Piandao and Jet to relay the message to their troops. Jet heaved a sigh of relief when he heard the communication and with his leader-like charisma, he was able to rally the spirits of his men. Next, Iroh proceeded to speak with Suki, who had a similar relieved reaction. She told the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors that hope was not lost and they continued their fight with more determination than ever.

Meanwhile, Melisande was also busy performing the same task to the other divisions of the allied army. Running towards her corps of archers, she shielded herself with a huge wall of fire which immediately scorched the oncoming rain of arrows. She smiled when she saw the high, defensive earthen forces erected by King Bumi and the other earthbenders were still sturdy and that her archers continued to send iron tempests on their opponents while the Yu Yan archers, hiding behind some old dilapidated Fire Nation buildings, found themselves at a greater disadvantage. She ascended one of the secure earthen mounds and found Longshot and several other archers releasing their arrows with such speed and fury that Melisande could not help but step back to admire them with a contented smile before she went to address them. Grabbing an unused quiver and a bow, she stood beside Longshot and fired arrows until her quiver was empty. Invigorated by the return of their leader, everyone else in the archers corps followed suit. And while they unleashed their fury, Melisande announced loudly that the Avatar was alive and well. A cheer erupted from the archers and if it was possible, their aim became even more precise.

Leaving them once more under the care of Longshot, Melisande made her way to where Bumi and the earthbenders were engaged in fighting the Fire Nation forces. The moment Bumi saw her, the mad king of Omashu gave a toothy grin.

"You've come to deliver some good news," he told Melisande before she had the chance to speak.

"Yes, indeed," she replied with a smile.

"So Ozai hasn't killed Appa yet, right? We're going to need a ride," Bumi said with a laugh. Melisande raised her eyebrows in perplexity.

"Um, yes," she replied awkwardly, "and Aang's still alive."

"Good," Bumi replied nonchalantly, "I need to have a little chat with him after all this is over."

"Right," Melisande said. She sighed with relief when she saw that the other earthbenders had heard her news and were now more encouraged to fight. Bumi, despite everything, seemed to be even more cheerful than when she had arrived. As Melisande was taking her leave, she was approached by one of the earthbenders. She turned to see that it was Haru, and he had a concerned expression on his face.

"Lady Melisande, if I may," he asked politely.

"What is it, Haru?" Melisande asked him warily.

"Have you seen, I mean, where is," he stammered slowly, "how is Princess Azula?

Melisande's expression softened as she looked at the earthbender. It seemed that despite everything that happened, he still harbored a – fondness – for the princess.

"She's still unconscious after having been in the thick of the fighting," Melisande explained, "but she's recovering well."

Haru sighed with relief, and Melisande put a hand on his shoulder before going to another part of the battlefield. She and Iroh met up with one another where the Southern Water Tribe forces were fighting with some waterbenders. This contingent was led by Chief Hakoda. Iroh had arrived there first and so everyone had already heard the good news. Melisande nodded to Iroh when she arrived.

Since this was one of the smallest divisions of the army, and not to mention it had the least number of benders, she and Iroh decided to help them a little more. Hakoda was grateful for their support as they advanced towards the enemy. Standing beside Melisande, the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe inquired after her. She returned his attentions politely.

"So how do you think this day is going to end?" Hakoda asked her. Melisande smiled.

"The way we want it to," she replied.

--

"_I offer you this wisdom, Aang. You must be decisive..."_

"_Only justice will bring peace..."_

"_Aang, you must actively shape your destiny, and the destiny of the world..."_

"_Selfless duty calls for you to sacrifice all your spiritual needs and do whatever it takes to save the world..."_

In his peaceful, meditative slumber, the Avatar remembered his last trip to the Spirit World. He recalled every piece of wisdom that his four past lives had offered to him and tried to analyze where he had gone wrong. He sighed knowing that he had not been decisive, however active he had been to shape his destiny.

And after all those lessons, one even coming from an airbender, he still didn't believe, in his heart, that violence and death was the answer to the problem. Only justice would bring peace? Killing one person was not Aang's idea of justice.

But injuring the Fire Lord would not be enough to stop him. There had to be some other way. He knew this much: Ozai had no right to bend all four elements, that belonged to the Avatar alone. It would be just to strip him of those powers. But how?

Aang pondered long and hard. And as he meditated, he felt his spirit being lifted up, away from his body. He looked at his hands and saw that same bluish glow that engulfed him when he was in the Spirit World.

Hovering above his body, he saw Katara, her face creased with worry as she watched him "sleeping." He felt sorry about having her worry so much. She looked so tired, and so sad.

Feeling his spirit soar away to another part of the battlefield, he watched as Zuko struggled to duel his father in a one-sided Agni Kai. Zuko was still holding his own but doing so was becoming more and more difficult since Ozai was bending all the four elements to try and break his son. Aang felt a surge of gratitude for the service his friend was doing for him and wanted to tell Zuko that his sacrifice was not for naught. But once again, the Avatar felt himself whisked away to another part of the field.

As his spirit flew over them, Aang saw all his friends and allies fighting courageously and relentlessly against the Phoenix King's forces. Though, seeing the bigger picture, Aang saw that the odds were against them, they continued to fight. Somehow, the Phoenix King had gathered a vast force, all soldiers with heightened abilities due to the comet, and the allied forces were being pushed back. No matter how hard they struggled to keep their advantage, they were beginning to lose. Aang watched all this with worry and alarm. With every ally who fell, his desire to be of use grew. He had to be ready again.

They all believed in him and held on to the hope that he would end this war. This was the world he had been fighting for, the world he needed to liberate. He wasn't alone.

Aang saw that they too were being decisive. Their every movement was deliberate and direct, with no hesitation. They too were actively shaping their destiny and doing whatever it took for them to help him save their world.

They too sought justice and peace.

"_You are not alone in this fight, Aang," Gyatso had told him, "but there is one role that belongs to you alone."_

"_This is to be the greatest battle in history," Roku had warned him, "greater than anything any of us have ever endured."_

"_To be able to survive and to win," Kyoshi had added, "you will need the help of your greatest and oldest allies."_

"_They have been waiting for you to call them for a hundred years," Kuruk had said._

"_And when you are in your direst need," Yangchen had added, "they will come to your aid."_

With that sudden realization, Aang felt his spirit soar back in a flash to his body. The Avatar's eyes snapped open and he carefully got up, invigorated by what he had just remembered. Katara was immediately by his side but he reassured her that he was fully recovered.

"I just have one last thing to do before I go face Ozai again," Aang told her calmly. She raised her eyebrows in perplexity before nodding. She trusted him.

With a flick of his wrist, he erected a small mound of earth on which he sat, Indian-style, and brought his two hands together, arrow tattoos facing each other. Before he closed his eyes, he said one last thing to his waterbending master.

"I know that you've been worrying about Zuko a lot," he told her gently, "why don't you go ahead and check on him? I'll follow."

And with that he closed his eyes and all his arrow tattoos began to glow. Katara watched in awe as the light began to spread from his body and cover the ground. She smiled gratefully. He was back.

"Keep an eye on him, Appa," Katara instructed before following Aang's advice and going to check on Zuko.

--

"You are a persistent nuisance, aren't you?" Ozai taunted as he aimed another powerful blow at Zuko, "like an itch that won't go away."

Gritting his teeth to ignore the pain of his other injuries, Zuko dodged his father's latest attack. Their Agni Kai had been going on for quite a while and still there was no sign of the Avatar's return. Zuko's worry had manifested itself finally and he had been lax in his last few attacks. His father had taken to using a variety of elaborate attacks which were becoming harder and harder to match.

Added to that, Ozai had also sent larger and larger amounts of lightning towards Zuko. The younger firebender had been able to redirect all of them but so many such attacks in succession were taking their toll on him. He was panting heavily and many of his muscles had begun to ache despite all his efforts to conserve his energy. He didn't know if he could last for much longer.

But as he focused his eyes towards where he had left Aang, Zuko noticed a faint but growing glowing of bright, perpetual light. Although he was not certain of what it really was, Zuko knew that this had to be a good sign. Smiling, he was able to renew his attacks with greater force and determination, knowing that Aang would not be far behind.

Ozai had noticed the heightened energy of his son and was only too eager to return fire. But much to the Phoenix King's chagrin, Zuko seemed even better than ever, fueled by something that Ozai simply could not understand. Angered that it was taking this long to defeat an opponent whom he had so often deemed worthless, Ozai retaliated with merciless ferocity. But Zuko was able to match his every attack.

After a particularly powerful explosion, sending both firebenders several feet away from each other, both Zuko and Ozai landed on their feet, struggling to maintain balance. Both panted heavily and sweat was pouring down both of their brows.

"It seems that I have no choice but to surrender," Ozai said craftily, his sneaky eyes betraying his true intentions.

Zuko didn't fall for it and remained in a defensive position. So focused was he that he had noticed the arrival of someone else running behind him. But Ozai had.

"You're right to doubt me," Ozai said menacingly, executing several movements that generated that familiar crackling and glowing, "after all, I think I still have one last attack left in me."

Zuko narrowed his eyes, took a deep breath, and got into a steady stance, ready to redirect the lightning that was surely coming his way. Ozai raised his hands before releasing the plasma from the tip of his fingers. Zuko eyes widened when he saw that the lightning was not heading straight at him but somewhere to his side. The younger firebender glanced behind him quickly and saw Katara's wide-eyed face.

"No!" Zuko cried as he jumped in front of the lightning just in time to absorb the full force of the attack. Zuko fell to the ground, twisting and twitching from the pain.

"Zuko!" Katara cried as she rushed to his side. All around her, the Phoenix King's sinister laughter echoed menacingly.

"Well, now," Ozai concluded with a sneer of triumph, "it seems like this world has run out of saviors."

"Not quite."

--

_It gets more and more exhausting to write these things. But I hope you enjoyed nevertheless. This was even more challenging what with more fight scenes, more emotions, and more of Aang's moral struggle. I'm sorry if that last part doesn't come off as very convincing or even believable. But I try my best to keep it as real as I can imagine it to be. I personally wanted him to kill Ozai but I also understood that to do so was highly counterintuitive to him. I have my own way of resolving that which is both similar to the series and vastly different. Confused? You'll see. Don't worry. Questions will be answered very soon._

_I hope you are still willing to read this through. Only two chapters to go._

_Oh, and if I may make a tiny request. I've been working so hard on these chapters and I really appreciate feedback on them. Would it be possible for more of you guys to review? I'm really hoping that this story reaches 200 reviews. I realize now that that's a bit of a long shot but there are two chapters to go and I hope that you guys indulge me just in this one thing. Review, please. Thank you.  
_

_Thank you._


	24. Part Three, Chapter 7

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender" – among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE**

Phoenix King Ozai had to broaden his threshold for surprise on the day of the Comet.

Just when he thought that nothing else could shock him, that his eyes could grow no wilder, something always showed up to prove the contrary. No matter how much and how carefully he had planned for total world dominion, there would always be an unexpected element, a glitch in the program.

And the continual appearance of these unanticipated aberrations only made the Phoenix King angrier than ever. The Avatar, he had expected. In fact, Ozai had been long looking forward to their confrontation. Azula's appearance had not been planned for but she was only a slight nuisance and was easily dealt with. Even Iroh's interference was no wholly unexpected. But there were several appearances which had thrown the Phoenix King in utter disbelief.

Ghosts. Or at least, he had believed them to be ghosts until they proved otherwise. Their appearance had been confounding, to say the least. Ozai could not get over the fact that people he had long believed dead were showing up out of the blue on the day of the comet. First, Melisande, whom he had never seen or heard of for the past eight years, appears and challenges him to an Agni Kai. He was able to defeat her this time but it was still rather disconcerting to see another old face. Disconcerting and annoying. Ozai never appreciates being thrown off his balance.

Although he would never admit it, he was even relieved the moment the Avatar arrived to challenge him. He had also wanted an avenue to fight with someone he believed to be his "equal" at least when it came to bending all four elements. And he could see that though the young airbender was a powerful and talented fighter, Aang still had a soft heart. And it was this weakness that Ozai had banked on. He knew that the boy would not have the guts to kill him, so he waited for that decisive moment of hesitation, before he struck.

But even after the Avatar fell, Ozai encountered yet another annoyingly unexpected hindrance – the appearance of his son. And Zuko had surprised him more not by being alive when Ozai thought he was dead but by the great improvement in his firebending. Ozai had never really paid much attention to Zuko's training, Azula had always been the top priority between the siblings since she was the firebending prodigy while Zuko was seen as nothing more than a clumsy disgrace. A few minutes go, Zuko had proven that he was a different firebender than he had been. It was good that Zuko was just as soft-hearted as the Avatar so Ozai had used the waterbender as a means to destroy him.

Even after the Avatar had fallen, Ozai still had to deal with so many nuisances, unexpected and irritating. So many people were foolish enough to pick a fight with him.

And they all wanted to thwart him. The struggle never ended. Perhaps if the Phoenix King had been given more time to ponder on the situation, and to really think about the consequences of his actions, he would understand that maybe all the forces in the universe were conspiring against him, making it impossible to succeed in his ambitious venture. However, as was the case, great power, pride, and ambition blinded him, and all the little sense of judgment he had was clouded by these vices. So it was always a painful blow when someone appeared to humble him and to remind him that he was but one man.

Ozai's attention had been caught by the new arrival and he ignored his injured son. He did not even hear the cries of the waterbender as she bent over Zuko and began to heal his wound. None of that mattered to Ozai now. His eyes were currently focused on the face of the boy who was destined to defeat him. And Ozai was not very pleased with the way things had turned out. Not one bit.

The Avatar stood determinedly and solidly on top of his sky bison. A slight, cool breeze blew against the boy and he looked completely calm, unlike his stunned opponent. And as Aang stood there, an alien glow seemed to surround him, and the Avatar seemed uncharacteristically luminescent. He also did not seem the least bit tired or injured, but stronger than ever.

The Phoenix King would never admit this but the sight of the Avatar alive, well, and ready to fight was enough to give him some cause for fear. The comet was not going to stay forever and he needed its power to be able to put all his plans in effect. He needed the comet's power and to be able to fully utilize it, he would have to defeat the Avatar, completely and utterly this time, within a limited duration. And by the looks of it, the rematch they were about to have was going to be a lot more difficult than their previous fight. And apparently, the Avatar intended to finish it without making the same mistakes.

But Aang was not looking at Ozai. Instead he was expressing his concern for Zuko and talking to Katara about healing the firebender. The trembling firebender raised a hand to indicate that he was all right and though she was still in tears, Katara smiled at the Avatar and said that she would handle it. Aang sighed with relief and reassured his two friends. They both wished him luck.

Ozai clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. He hated being ignored like this. This was not going to be pleasant. And what irked him even further was the calm and composed expression on the airbender's young face. The serenity of Aang's countenance was misconstrued by the Phoenix King as smugness, and he greatly desired to wipe the seemingly overconfident smirk of the boy's face. He frowned and ignited his fists, and with some simple earthbending, he raised himself to level with the boy who still stood on his flying bison, quiet and composed. They stood face to face, the wind whipping against Ozai's long, dark hair. He glared at his opponent. And Appa roared at him, blowing his hair away and making it mess up in his face. Ozai growled as he fixed his hair while Aang continued looking steadily at him.

"So," Ozai broke the silence, his eyes glowing with rage, "you're alive. But don't worry, it won't be too long."

"You're fond of making empty threats, Phoenix King," Aang replied calmly, "I wouldn't waste my time talking if I were you."

"Impudent little brat!" Ozai shouted, extending his hands and sending fire out of them. Aang leaped up and off Appa as the sky bison flew away from the fire. Using his airbending, Aang stayed up in the air and with some firebending dissolved the attack sent to him by the Phoenix King.

"The same tricks won't work on me, Ozai," Aang told his opponent. This enraged the Phoenix King further but did not make him more creative. One after the other, Ozai repeated his former attacks which Aang easily evaded and retaliated with a style of his own. He was more confident now and more at ease with himself. He also knew that he would no longer allow his friends to fight his battles for him. After all, he was recharged and ready while his opponent was losing energy little by little.

The burden of so many major battles was taking its toll on the so-called great and invincible Phoenix King. And at that moment, although it was not the Avatar's intention of adopting the same method, Ozai was being tired out. His strength, so great had it been at the beginning when Azula had started fighting him, was finally beginning to wane. It was amazing that he was still capable of fighting even after all the intense duels and fights he had participated in with several very worthy opponents. Whatever strength and power he had left could only be attributed to the presence of Sozin's comet and the stolen abilities he had pilfered using the Avatar's key and accessing the cave of the giant. It really did take superhuman effort for him to continue fighting but like his foe, he knew that too much was at stake. Despite his clumsy skills at airbending and earthbending, he was still able to make up some simple defensive moves with those elements.

All this was happening in stark contrast to Aang's increase of power. The longer he stayed in the fight, the more and the brighter the Avatar began to glow and he was not even in the Avatar state yet.

Panting heavily and sweating profusely, Ozai wondered what new source of strength and power the Avatar had found that he had recovered so quickly from his wounds and that he remained stronger than ever as he faced his greatest opponent. The Avatar also seemed like a different person as he parried and blocked Ozai's every attack. All the doubt and hesitation that had been marked as his weaknesses in the earlier fight were now nowhere to be seen. The boy was fearless in his attacks and even better at evading all of the Phoenix King's blows.

Falling down right after Aang's latest attack on him, Ozai struggled to get up but felt the earth sink under him, putting him more off balance. By the time he was able to reopen his eyes to survey the vicinity, he found himself completely surrounded by levitating rocks, controlled by the Avatar's earthbending. And while Ozai had been down, Aang had also managed to conjure a huge wave of water from all the nearby sources of water, including puddles, small lakes, as well as the little moisture that there was to be found in the air. And the wave looked menacing.

With masterful flicks of his fingers, the Avatar froze several long and sharp daggers of ice and sent them flying towards the stunned looking Ozai. The target, of course, had not learned enough waterbending to be able to redirect the daggers and he was only to do as much as send the daggers flying away from him. But it was a close call. And by the time he had recovered from that attack, he gasped as the Avatar began bearing down on him with rocks, ice, slices of wind, and fire.

Inept at properly bending the three other elements, Ozai was barely able to defend himself and Aang was swiftly and surely bringing him down. One of the many mistakes the Phoenix King had committed when he had unjustly acquired what was supposed to be the Avatar's reserve of power and strength, was not training himself adequately in the other three elements that he had the ability to bend. Blinded once more by his pride and power, Ozai had taken these abilities for granted.

To the Fire Lord then, fire was the superior element and every other extra ability was merely a marginal advantage in battle. After all, the Fire Nation had controlled a greater part of the world for over a hundred years. No one else could challenge their supremacy. So when he had first learned to bend water, earth, and air, the Fire Lord had been merely amused by the idea that he had achieved what no one else had done before. Earthbending, waterbending, and airbending had seemed to him like mere novelties, interesting tricks that would help him intimidate all his opponents and put the Avatar on his guard. He did not understand his disadvantage and so was unable to foretell his own doom.

But as the fight continued, it slowly became clear to Ozai. All the warnings to him by Iroh, Melisande, and Aang were now coming to fruition. Although still in slight denial, Ozai could see that all the power he had stolen from the Avatar were being of no use to him in his moments of dire need. And more and more, he had had to rely on his own firebending to be able to defend himself against Aang's versatile attacks.

Obviously, Aang was the superior earthbender. He had not trained for so long with Toph to be beaten easily by someone who only knew how to toss rocks and raise mounds of earth, because that was the very extent of Ozai's skills in earthbending. Aang had also adopted Toph's technique of seeing with her feet, feeling the vibrations on the earth to be able to anticipate your opponent's moves. By focusing and staying calm, Aang had been able to sense Ozai's next attacks even when the Phoenix King was behind him. This was something that Ozai could not do and could not also retaliate.

Airbending was also not one of Ozai's strengths. He was able to manipulate wind to blow here and there but even Appa could do more than he. Aang clearly beat him in this respect as the boy exhibited the skills and techniques learned from Monk Gyatso a hundred years ago. At first, Aang had found it slightly amusing and very slightly challenging to be fighting against another "airbender" but when he realized just how little Ozai knew of the fighting style, he made the inferiority of his foe all the more visible. Ozai was getting more embarrassed by the minute.

And as for waterbending, there was no question as to who could do so better. Let's put it this way: had Ozai, with his current skills in bending the liquid element, been one of Pakku's students, the old master would have deemed him unfit even to duel against a sea urchin. He was that bad at the skill. And had Katara not been busy with something more pressing, she might very well have defeated Ozai in waterbending. Aang had used a variety of techniques to counter Ozai's attacks including the water octopus which he had to stop using eventually. Apparently, Ozai had been familiar with the attack. Nevertheless, the Phoenix King was wavering and Aang was not going to stop sending blows until the fight was completely and decisively concluded. He had blocked out all other distracting thoughts so that he could focus on the moment, on that final moment, when he would end this all.

At the start of the fight, Ozai had not followed his advice to stop talking. Instead, the wily Phoenix King had hoped to unhinge Aang once more with harsh words and evil laughter. But unfortunately for Ozai, the Avatar was already wise to his antics and detached himself from all the shallow banter and focused on fighting. No insult, taunt, or scream could break the young airbender's concentration. Aang did not even bother to reply or retort, such responses only eliciting more loud words from his enemy. And as Ozai had continued to talk, he looked and sounded more and more like a spoiled brat constantly teasing and complaining. Somewhere during the big fight, a role reversal had taken place wherein Aang had begun acting more collected and mature while Ozai lapsed deeper and deeper into desperate childishness.

At one point, Aang had displayed the full breadth of his powers as the Avatar, by going into the Avatar state and bending all four elements simultaneously. Ozai looked slightly daunted as the arrow tattoos on the airbender had begun to glow bright and strong. And then, the boy was surrounded by rings of flame, earth, water, and air and heading straight towards his enemy, his eyes glowing ethereally, and showing a ferocity that Ozai had never thought Aang had in him. It was painful and hard to admit but Ozai had been frightened, and for a few, agonizing moments, had contemplated fleeing the scene.

But it seemed that pride overruled fear and better judgment in this instance, and instead of running, Ozai decided to match Aang's display by trying to bend all four elements at once like the Avatar. Of course, this strategy backfired on him, much to his dismay. It was simply impossible to challenge or equal the fully fledged Avatar, and through the combined attacks of the boy, Ozai was thrown several hundred feet backward after a grand explosion. He struggled to get up, taking almost superhuman effort.

Ozai angrily fired large blasts of fire which were easily blocked by a huge wall of earth that Aang erected. From behind the wall, the Avatar sent a flaming boulder not towards the Phoenix King as Ozai had anticipated but towards the base of his thin and tottering earth mound (Ozai's earthbending had become sloppier and sloppier as the fight continued). Losing his balance for the nth time during that battle, the older man roared as he fell into the pile of mud which waited for him on the ground. Although he still managed to soften his fall somewhat, Ozai did not land very gracefully. He glared angrily at the calm airbender who did not gloat or laugh but merely stood there, ice daggers levitating in the air in front of him.

With wide eyes, Ozai did not have any time to react as he was pinned down by the icicles. He had not been hit or stabbed by any of them but he was also in a very delicate and uncomfortable position. Growling, he used his firebending to melt the stakes that held him down and then, much to his chagrin, he saw that ice was only the outer covering of the stakes. Apparently, they were also made of earth. And struggle as he might, Ozai could not get out of that prison. His pitiful attempts at earthbending only made it worse as the stakes clamped on each other, further enclosing him in a strange cage. He felt the shackles grow tighter around his arms but he realized that he was also too weak to continue struggling. This time, there was nothing left for him to do. The Avatar carefully and gracefully landed beside him.

Whenever Ozai attempted to ignite his hands or to even kick a small flame, Aang quickly extinguished it with either airbending or waterbending. The Avatar had begun freezing Ozai's hands and feet so intensely that every attempt of the Phoenix Lord to thaw himself was not succeeding. He kicked and squirmed violently but all to no avail. He was definitely trapped and there was nothing he could do. The man had grown very weak from all the incessant exertion. Added to that, his spirit was also broken by his disappointed dreams and hopes. At the moment, when blunt force and physical exertion was being of no good use to him, Ozai struggled to think of a way out, of some sort of psychological blackmail, anything, anything to give him back that same crucial moment of hesitation that would help him turn the tables on the young airbender again.

Unfortunately, that old dog had learned no new tricks. And so there was really not much he could do against Aang, who continued to secure him to the ground, not killing him yet. But then again, it was also becoming more and more difficult for Ozai to even try fighting back as the intense cold from the Avatar's freezing of his limbs was making him lose all feeling in his muscles. Ozai gritted his teeth as he tried to fight it but again, all to no avail. Slowly but surely, the great and so-called invincible Phoenix King was growing numb. And unfortunately for him, there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.

Little did Ozai know that Aang still had not decided to kill him. But the Avatar also knew that to give his enemy the slightest inkling of his true intentions would lead once more to his undoing. This time, he had to make sure that the Phoenix King really believed that he would kill him. And to help him with that, Aang also wanted to make Ozai incapable of moving. He would deal with him finally once he was absolutely sure that the great enemy could no longer do anything to hurt him.

Ozai was not one to easily give up, however, and he still tried to talk his way out of his predicament, if only to buy some time to escape. Running out of coherent ideas, he resorted to the almost absurd and illogical notions, if only to have something to say to his captor.

"Did you really think that by defeating me you would end the war?" Ozai asked in a malevolent albeit softer tone. It still took so much effort for him to speak. But he was determined to twist this seemingly hopeless situation to his favor. After all, he had a knack for doing that. In such dire situations, improvisation was an invaluable tool.

"Honestly," Aang replied simply, not for one moment wavering in his freezing of the man's limbs, "yes."

Ozai was still able to manage a round of scornful laughter. Aang raised his eyebrow at this but ignored it. Although how the Phoenix King could still afford to laugh was beyond the young airbender. But Aang had figured out that Ozai was probably trying to manipulate him again and so the boy was wary of whatever came out of the man's mouth, no matter how absurd or ridiculous it may seem.

"Well, then you are grossly mistaken," Ozai replied sinisterly, as if he wanted to suck out all the hope from the airbender's face, "even without me, the Fire Nation will still be able to rule over the whole world."

"Oh, really?" Aang said quietly, just humoring the obviously delusional man, "and how do you suppose they will do that?"

"Ha," Ozai continued to ramble, "did you think that your meager forces would be able to overpower an army bread for the single purpose of wiping out every other free community in the Four Nations? I think not. You have grossly underestimated me, I'm afraid."

"I would hardly call the alliance of the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, some Fire Nation citizens, as well as several very illustrious members of your own family, 'meager forces," Aang commented coolly, his hands still controlling the Phoenix King's shackles.

This was followed by another round of soft but derisive laughter from the clamped up Ozai. Aang had half a mind of putting an earthen muzzle over the man's mouth but the Avatar was still intrigued by what the half-crazed, half-frozen Phoenix King had to say.

"Ooh, I feel so threatened by that description," Ozai mocked the Avatar, "but still, they are no match for my forces. You have to understand that your friends are fighting against people vastly different from them. My men aren't all noble and altruistic weaklings such as yourself. I have in my employ mercenaries and heartless individuals who do not have any qualms whatsoever about killing and slaughtering anyone who crosses their paths. And with the great power endowed upon them by Sozin's comet, your pathetic alliance of traitors will stand no chance of winning this war."

When Aang was silent, Ozai smiled, seeing that his sharp words were at last making the dent that he intended them to make. The boy was cracking slowly, and he would once again have his chance. Ozai felt triumphant, thinking that the Avatar was so easy a person to read, much too predictable and so very gullible.

"You understand it all now, don't you?" Ozai taunted, "you will lose, everything."

"I'm not too worried about that," Aang replied calmly and with a smile that made the old king gasp in disbelief, "I brought a little help."

And it was at that moment that Ozai heard the roars and saw the shadows of the arriving reinforcements. When he realized what exactly the Avatar had meant by "a little help", Ozai's limit for surprise had been crossed over and the man simply fainted from the shock.

--

"Sir," one of the navigators reported to Chief Arnook, "I really think that you should take a look at this."

The chief of the Northern Water Tribe raised his eyebrows in perplexity but the similarly puzzled look on his navigator gave him the impression that this was something important. The old man took a look through the spyglass and saw what he believed to be an approaching wave of water. The wave seemed to be moving faster and faster in the direction of the enemy Fire Nation ships. It was still unclear as to whether the strange object's presence was to be to their advantage or not.

"Well, what is that thing?" Arnook asked his men but they merely shrugged their shoulders in reply.

"It's not a tidal wave or anything like that, sir," one of the other men explained, "the size and patterns of movement are too inconsistent with those of waves."

"Well, then, maybe it's a rogue wave of some sort," Arnook said, taking another look at the approaching large lump of water.

"The good thing is that it's heading straight towards the enemy ships," one of the other men observed, "and they don't seem to know what it is either."

"Sir, I think I see another one over here," cried one of the other members of the ship's crew. The Chief, followed by several of his officers, ran to the railing of the ship and saw that true enough, another irregularly shaped wave was about to hit the enemy ship right across them.

"Whatever it is, it looks dangerous," one of the other waterbenders commented.

"Have you heard from the crew of Prince Zuko's ship yet?" Chief Arnook questioned his navigator.

"We have, sir," the man replied, "and they too have no idea what those waves are. But fortunately, these peculiar water risings are all approaching our enemies."

"We are very fortunate, indeed," Chief Arnook agreed, as he watched the strange wave engulf one of the Fire Navy ships and sink it in only a matter of moments. The old man remembered what had happened in the North Pole only several months earlier. To some extent, it seemed very similar to what was happening now. But he knew that Aang, the Avatar, was fighting on the other side of the Fire Nation. How could this be possible?

And yet, Chief Arnook also remembered that many a stranger thing had happened to him. After all, the ways of the great and ancient spirits were never meant to be understood by mere mortals. Perhaps these strange waves were being sent by the spirits to help them defeat the Fire Nation and fight for their freedom. Whatever their purpose there, Arnook was thankful for the presence of the mysterious waves. The fighting had become more difficult for them because despite everything, no one could deny that the members of the Fire Navy were well trained sailors and could very well hold their own even against sailors of the Water Tribe. And of course it helped that their fire power was intensified by Sozin's comet. But things were changing, and they had just received word from their scouts that the Avatar was fully recovered and currently finishing his business with the Phoenix King.

Chief Arnook's reverie was interrupted when one of his men cried out in alarm. He asked what was the matter and the waterbender pointed to where one of the Fire Nation ships was being "attacked" by the strange wave of water. The old chieftain's eyes widened when he saw how the ship was being ambushed.

The entire vessel had been encircled, wrapped around by a large, long, scaly, green body. The force of the creature was enough to crush the entire ship and many of the Fire Nation soldiers were screaming and jumping overboard as the whole vessel sunk into the depths of the ocean.

"A giant sea serpent?" Arnook cried in disbelief, "but how?"

And just as this sight was being properly registered in Arnook and the rest of allies' brains, another peculiar creature appeared from one of the mysterious waves. Hearing the cries of their enemies, Arnook and his men ran to another side of deck, only to witness yet another Fire Navy ship going down, this time attacked by what looked like a huge and ferocious eel.

"It's the Unagi from Kyoshi Island!" one of Zuko's former ship crew cried and the others instantly recognized the creature as the legendary sea monster itself. The Water Tribe forces and Zuko's men all watched in awe as one by one, large and legendary sea creatures began helping them win the fight. And for some strange reason, none of these monsters had even gone near any of the Water Tribe ships or even the small Fire Navy vessel commandeered by Zuko's old crew.

The closest any of the creatures ever came to them was when an elephant koi fish rose out of the water and faced Chief Arnook and his men. These members of the Water Tribe were aware of the great spiritual presence of the elephant koi fish and all instantly prostrated themselves before it. But a voice that seemed to come from the fish itself commanded them to rise and face it. They did so nervously and were surprised to see the glowing blue figure of a waterbender's spirit riding the great fish. And he was no ordinary waterbender, this was the spirit of Avatar Kuruk himself.

"I bring you good tidings, my brothers," the spirit greeted the astonished Water Tribe men with a smile, "Avatar Aang has called upon his friends to aid you in your great fight. Have no fear of the giant serpent, the Unagi, or the elephant koi, for they are your allies and will bring no harm to you. These majestic beings of the sea also desire to see this war finished so that harmony and balance is restored to the Four Nations, which is their world as well as yours. They will fight along side you today, as friends of the Avatar, and of mankind."

And with that final message, the spirit smiled and dissolved into the wind. The giant koi dove once more into the ocean. Astounded as the Water Tribe warriors were by the encounter, they were also relieved to finally understand what was going on. And with the knowledge that the Avatar had sent them his help, they were all the more eager to continue the fight with greater fervor and confidence than they had ever shown.

--

Elsewhere on the field, the contingent of earthbenders was having a challenging time in forcing the Fire Nation forces to retreat. Many of the earthbenders had sustained injuries, and only a few truly brave and capable ones were left in the fight. And among those fighting, only King Bumi had retained the level of energy and enthusiasm that he had had when they first started the fight. It seemed like no dire consequence could ever get that king down. He remained cheerful even when the odds were clearly against them. And the others tried to imitate his attitude but there were some things that simply could not be copied.

Haru glanced at the king and marveled at his continuous spirit. Despite his relief at finding out that Princess Azula was still alive and well, Haru could not help but worry. But he also tried to block out all thoughts of her from his mind to concentrate on the fight. The Fire Nation Army seemed to have an unlimited supply of soldiers. Haru knew that he and the other earthbenders had already taken down many of the army's numbers and yet the ranks kept filling up with fresh, albeit slightly inexperienced, soldiers. And while their opponent continued to restock, the Earth Kingdom division was slowly dwindling. Haru gritted his teeth in frustration as he blocked another fireball with a wall of earth. And it was then that he felt the unfamiliar rumblings.

He looked to his fellow earthbenders and saw that none of them were causing the strange movements in the earth. When the young earthbender looked up at Bumi, to his surprise, even the old king looked slightly perplexed. But none of these unexpected occurrences had wiped the smile off Bumi's face, of course. After blocking another firebending attack, Bumi began to move backward, rejoining his troops.

"You'd better step back, boys," the old master advised his companions, "things are about to get a little more interestingly unsteady for our enemies."

Although they weren't quite sure what he meant by that, none of the earthbenders wanted to disobey a direct order from their superior so they all carefully stepped back. The Fire Nation army seemed to get the impression that they were retreating and soon some of the soldiers in the first rank began jeering and gloating at the earthbenders. Irked, Haru readied a boulder to send flying at the soldiers but Bumi raised his hand to stop it. Haru looked at him questioningly.

"Just wait," Bumi said mysteriously, "and listen."

Blocking out all the irrelevant noise from his hearing, Haru did as he was told and continued to hear the strange rumbling which was growing louder and louder by the second. And before he could figure out what was causing it, several large pits appeared beneath the Fire Nation army's feet and large portions of their formation were broken as the men fell into these huge holes of earth.

The earthbenders looked at each other in puzzlement but all admitted that they were not doing any earthbending. More and more Fire Nation soldiers began falling in and others were nearly getting buried alive if they didn't have the sense to climb up the pits and run away. A few ranks remained but the Fire Nation soldiers were clearly getting more nervous by the minute. This time, it was the earthbernders' turn to smirk with triumph.

Then, with a sudden motion, three of the biggest badger moles Haru had ever seen burst out of the ground and roared menacingly. The sight of the ferocious beasts was more than enough to send the remaining Fire Nation troops scurrying for cover. Haru and the other earthbenders had their eyes wide as the great and noble creatures continued to help them face their enemies.

"What's going on, King Bumi?" Haru asked his superior hesitantly because through the entire fiasco, Bumi had merely laughed as if he had expected everything to happen in such a way. The older earthbender turned to Haru with that mischievous glint in his eyes. Haru wasn't sure if that meant trouble or not.

"Don't you see," Bumi replied almost matter of fact-ly, as if what had just happened was the most obvious thing in the world, "the badger moles are helping us fight."

"But why?" Haru persisted, "and how did they earthbend so expertly?"

Bumi rolled his eyes as if he was talking to a fool. He sighed and tried not to sound too impatient.

"Don't you know that the badger moles were the first earthbenders?" Bumi explained, "if Toph were down here, she'd tell you that. What many of you young people don't understand is that the many animals of this world have been as badly affected by the war as we have been. They're angry too, you know. So this is their way of fighting back, for the home that the Fire Nation had destroyed."

Haru finally understood and with a nod, he began to rally the earthbenders to continue the fight. Once the others had been reassured that the badger moles would do them no harm, everyone else became more motivated to fight, with such powerful allies on their side. Their spirits were raised while the morale of the Fire Nation soldiers was significantly dampened. Bumi gave a loud and rousing war cry, responded to with a cheer from the others as they charged on, several mammoth-sized badger moles taking the lead and bending the earth to their will.

--

Even the non-bending contingent were not excluded from the unusual aid of the Avatar's old "friends." In fact, more help had arrived to give them a greater edge over their enemies. This was not to say that the fighters who couldn't bend weren't capable. The fact that they had no element to manipulate made them even fiercer and more determined to win against their opponents. And even the soldiers of the Fire Nation army could not deny that they were facing very formidable opponents. Nevertheless, it was always helpful to have greater fire power on your side and Piandao's contingent was beginning to waver.

"We have to keep holding them off," he told Jet as the old master slashed through another attack. The younger man was busy using his hooked blades to retaliate. On another side of the field, some Fire Nation soldiers were ducking to avoid being hit by the flying blades being tossed by Mai. The pale, dark-haired girl cursed when she missed several of them and quickly reloaded. But things weren't looking good for them. She was running out of weapons and energy. Even Ty Lee was not as agile as she had been when she started. But the girl refused to have her aura tinged with negative vibes so she kept a smile on her face. Nevertheless, she was worried too.

The circus performer had just leaped back to Mai's side after blocking one of the enemy soldier's chi when Mai instantly pulled her back. Wondering why she had been pulled back so abruptly, Ty Lee looked in front of her and gasped at what she saw.

A large armadillo lion had just pounced on the soldier whom she had been facing only moments before. The creature roared viciously and snarled at all the soldiers who took a few steps back in fear.

"What the..?" Ty Lee asked but Mai merely shrugged and said, "I don't know, but we'd better steer clear of that lion's path."

Ty Lee agreed and they rejoined the rest of the troops. The two girls were just about to inform Jet and Piandao of what had just happened when another series of gasps was heard from the crowd. Mai and Ty Lee looked at each other before going to where the sound had come from. And lo and behold, half a dozen boar-q-pines were sending their sharp body coverings straight at the enemy soldiers. And then, more armadillo lions and other terrestrial wild animals had begun to appear, scaring off many of the other Fire Nation soldiers.

"What is going on here?" Jet cried incredulously, still unable to process the reason for the appearance of all those wild animals. Even stranger was the fact that none of the beasts were attacking them. It was almost like the animals were fighting on their side.

"I can't explain it completely," Piandao replied with a mysterious smile and characteristic composure, "but it is a good sign that our luck is changing."

"I don't think this has anything to do with luck," Mai commented dryly, "there's something deliberate about this."

"You may be right," Piandao agreed, "and I think that somehow, the Avatar is deliberately sending this beings to help us."

--

"I do not believe what I'm seeing," one of the Kyoshi warriors exclaimed. Her other companions all expressed similar incredulity.

"Me too," another replied. And their leader, Suki, watched with wide eyes at what was just happening. Her enemies were just as confounded and many were beginning to run for cover, so afraid were they of the strange attackers.

The Kyoshi Warriors remained in their defensive positions, swords and fans raised but they really did not need to be so alert. After all, some beings had arrived who were doing their jobs for them. And truth be told, the Kyoshi Warriors were very glad and relieved that the beasts were on their side. They may have been one of the most powerful groups of fighters in the Four Nations but the girls knew well that they were absolutely no match to the great, ferocious terrestrial beasts.

First, there was a particularly large and very angry Saber Toothed Moose Lion who roared and charged at the Fire Nation soldiers. The appearance of the irate moose lion was made even more peculiar by the fact that such animals could only be found in the Earth Kingdom. Therefore, the Fire Nation soldiers facing Suki, who had never been outside their own country before, were surprised and frightened by the beast. And they also did not know how to deal with it. To make things worse for them, one of their more idiotic commanders tried provoking the creature, which, of course, did not work out for them.

Hearing another roar, the Kyoshi Warriors looked to another side and saw several huge platypus bears attacking the other enemies. The female fighters looked at each other in puzzlement but once more, the beasts showed no interest in attacking them but focused on the Fire Nation soldiers instead.

And added to that, the Kimodo Rhinos which several of the Fire Nation fighters were riding had begun turning against their masters, tossing off the riders in an unseemly fashion. Then the rhinos roared and began chasing their former masters, sending the soldiers, once again, running for safety. No one had expected the beasts who had always been so obedient and loyal to suddenly turn coat.

"Something really weird is going on here," Suki said perplexedly. She continued to stand in her defensive position but found that she was not really being of much use. As she and the other warriors watched their enemies being defeated by their mounts, a bluish figure appeared before them, a spirit. As the details of the spirit's appearance became clearer, all the girls recognized her as the figure of the statue on their home island. Immediately, they all prostrated themselves before the spirit of Avatar Kyoshi.

"You have done well, my daughters," the spirit spoke, "and you have no cause to fear these creatures. They are friends of the Avatar, and they have come here to help you fight."

--

"Oh, no," Sokka cried as he took a good look through the spyglass of one of the war balloons, "why does this always happen to me?"

"Why does what always happen to you?" Toph asked impatiently. To her annoyance, Sokka seemed to be forgetting that she was blind.

"Do you remember those vicious buzzard wasps we had to deal with when we were wandering in the desert?" Sokka explained.

"Yeah, those things were nasty," Toph replied with a shudder at the memory. She had hoped that she would never have to encounter those vile beings ever again.

"Well, I've got news for you," Sokka said, "a whole flock of them is flying towards us!!!"

"What?" Toph shouted, "but how?"

"I don't know how," Sokka said nervously, as he fumbled over the controls of the vessel, "all I know is that we have to get out of their way."

"I'm with you there," Toph said. Immediately, Sokka began to order the other people on board and to tell them to change direction of the war balloon. Unfortunately, the buzzard wasps flew very fast and Sokka and his crew were unable to turn the balloon just in time.

"Oh no," Sokka cried, "what I'd do to be a firebender right now. Wish I could just blast those beasts out of the sky. It's bad enough that we're having so much trouble fending off the Fire Nation, and now this has to happen."

"We should just find some cover," Toph advised, as she pulled down an agitated Sokka. Everyone else followed suit, nervously trying to steer clear of the hideous beasts. After a few, agonizing moments, Sokka risked a glance and to his surprise, saw that the Buzzard Wasps had completely ignored them and were viciously attacking the enemy war balloons. Sokka and the others watched this happen.

"Well, what's going on?" Toph asked, upset that she couldn't see what was happening. When everything was explained to her, even she was surprised. The hideous creatures with greyish fur which had attacked them so viciously were now helping them.

"More of them are coming," another man cried, after glancing through the spyglass. Sokka peeked and could see that another flock of huge flying creatures was flying towards them. This time, these weren't buzzard wasps.

"What are those things?" Sokka asked the Mechanist, prompting the old man to take a closer look.

"Amazing," the old inventor commented in awe, "I've never seen raven eagles this far away from their natural habitat."

"Raven eagles?" Sokka asked, "are you sure?"

"Positive," the man replied. Sokka glanced once more at the arriving flock of huge brown feathered birds with large, hooked beaks, and vicious talons. The raven eagles, like the buzzard wasps, had flown past the allied forces' war balloons and were now viciously attacking ever vessel with a Fire Nation emblem on it. They tore at the balloons with their sharp talons and their screeching distracted the pilots so much that the balloons veered off in various directions.

"Sokka, I hear some snorting," Toph observed to the Water Tribe Warrior, while pointing in the direction of the sound. Sokka looked at the Mechanist questioningly but the old man merely shrugged his shoulders. They looked to where Toph had been pointing and saw a truly peculiar sight.

"Why, I never," the Mechanist exclaimed, "I never thought that I would actually see one of those, let alone a flock."

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Sokka asked incredulously, "are those winged boars?"

"Boar hawks, to be more precise," the Mechanist corrected him.

"The symbol of the Bei Fong family," Toph commented sarcastically, "how ironic."

"Well, your family symbol has come to help us out," Sokka said excitedly, "how lucky can we get?"

They were lucky indeed, as the combined forces of the buzzard wasps, raven eagles, and boar hawks decimated the remaining Fire Nation war balloons which had been giving the allied forces much difficulty in the past few hours. One by one, the Phoenix King's so-called unbeatable air force was decimated and the air ships exploded and fell to the depths of the ocean below them, making loud splashes as they fell. Sokka and the others watched in awe as these events took place, and they found that they did not have to do much more to be able to win their side of the battle.

"But why are they helping us?" Sokka asked. No one was able to answer the question and the Mechanist merely scratched his head in wonder. There were very few things which the old man could not explain but this happened to be one of them. But right after he spoke, a bluish figure materialized in front of them, and when the figure was complete, they all realized that it was the spirit of a female airbender. They bowed their heads in respect and reverence. And after seeing her, the Water Tribe Warrior got the inexplicable feeling that similar occurrences were happening to the other divisions of the rebel army. Once again, the universe was acting enigmatic, but generous.

"I am Avatar Yangchen," the spirit said regally, and the others looked up at her, "and I bring you good tidings. The current Avatar has sent his friends, these creatures of the sky, to aid you in your fight."

"I don't know when the buzzard wasps became chummy with Aang, but this is pretty lucky," Sokka commented while Toph shushed him with a nudge of her elbow. Sokka remembered his manners and faced the spirit of the Avatar politely. Fortunately, she did not look offended.

"We are grateful for your help, Avatar Yangchen," Sokka replied respectfully.

"It is not I whom you should be thanking but your friend Aang," she answered coolly, with a gentle smile, "your travails and sufferings are nearly over. This war is nearly over. Have courage."

And with those final words, Avatar Yangchen's spirit dissolved into the wind.

--

Finally, the firebending division could not be neglected. They were by far the smallest division of the Allied Forces Army since they were composed of only a fraction of the Fire Nation's total population. Nevertheless, whatever they lacked in quantity, they made up for in quality. After all, with master firebenders like Iroh, Jeong Jeong, and Melisande, they still proved to be a formidable match to their opponents. Unfortunately, this did not help them avoid the same predicament as their allies.

Indeed, they were reinforced by the comet, the surge of power they felt privileged to experience since it only happened once every one hundred years. But each of these veteran firebending masters had already endured many great battles on that day. They were soon approaching their limits. And unfortunately, they did not have many firebenders to replace them should they leave the field at this crucial time. The firebenders struggled hard to maintain a positive attitude and to look as unfatigued as they could, at least to boost the morale of their companions, and their own as well.

It was a great relief to hear and see signs of the Avatar and the Phoenix King fighting one another once more. Somehow, the knowledge that the young airbender was doing his best to help them end the war was a pretty effective incentive for them to try and retain their energy. Fire was exchanged in momentous proportions and the whole battlefield seemed like a sea of flames and searing heat, accented by the occasional explosion and sometimes even the crackling of some lightning. The fight was fierce and the fighters were tenacious, neither side seeming to waver in their every flame filled attack on each other.

On one side, the archers' division was doing slightly better. Nevertheless, there were also fewer archers in relation to the other divisions of the army and there were no extra ranks to take the place of the exhausted archers. Melisande herself was beginning to pant heavily, so tired was she. But she did not want to show her comrades that she was losing energy. That was the last thing that they needed to see. So she kept smiling and encouraging them at every turn. Nevertheless, the fighting was growing tougher and tougher.

And just when they were all about to succumb to their body's limitations, several large blasts of fire were thrown at the enemy's ranks. In an instant, the soldiers of the Phoenix King were forced to retreat, though they too were shocked that the rebels still had it in them to fire such a powerful attack. The firebenders on the rebel's side all looked at one another but everyone shrugged, denying any involvement in the momentous attack.

And then, they heard the loud and resounding roars. Someone pointed to the sky and everyone instantly looked up to see where the noise had come from. Iroh and Melisande, in particular, vaguely recognized the sound but were unsure about whether they had imagined the connection or not. But the moment their eyes caught sight of the majestic beings, the two veteran firebenders knew that they had not been hallucinating. And they also knew that help had at last come for them in the form of these old firebenders that no one could possibly defeat, and certainly not those numerous but weak soldiers who now cowered in fear at the mere sight of them. Some had even begun running away, running to safety.

These were understandable consequences. After all, how would you react when you found yourself face to face with a deadly, ancient being which you had long believed to be extinct? Fear overruled all incredulity, and the only instinct your flat lined mind would be allowed to retain would be that of survival, by fleeing for dear life to somewhere the beasts will (hopefully) not be able to find you, and devour you. This was what was going through the minds of all the pitiful soldiers of the Phoenix King when the two dragons arrived.

Many of the members of the rebel army were frightened at the sight of the old firebending masters. Even those who had encountered the majestic creatures before trembled slightly at seeing them. The firebending masters never failed to inspire awe and wonderment in all who so much as glanced at them, and this was their effect on Iroh and Melisande. As they watched the pair of amazing dragons displaying their wondrous powers of firebending and roaring to show their superiority, Iroh and Melisande felt invigorated and inspired to fight once more. The arrival of the dragons was a sign that the fighting was almost over, that the Avatar was closing in on victory for them all.

"General Iroh," one of the younger soldiers asked the old man in wonder, "are those really dragons?"

"Yes, indeed they are," the veteran replied proudly. The young man was awestruck and watched the creatures with even greater admiration.

"I never thought that I would live to see these firebending masters face to face," Jeong Jeong commented with emotion. As the majestic pair of blue and red dragons began to soar and circle around the field, all the firebenders prostrated themselves and bowed in reverence to their masters. The dragons made no hostile movements towards any of them but continued to blow fire and to roar gloriously.

Iroh and Melisande bowed as well but from the corner of her eye, Melisande noticed the arrival of another slightly translucent dragon, bluish and insubstantial, flying towards them. She nudged at Iroh and he looked up as well. There seemed to be a rider on this approaching dragon. No one else seemed to have noticed this new arrival so the two firebending masters knew that this was meant for them alone. The two exchanged grave and apprehensive looks before turning their attention back to the spirits. The rider's face became clearer before it became certain to the two that they were faced with Avatar Roku's spirit. Melisande was especially moved since she knew she was before her own grandfather.

The spirit dragon hovered several feet above them and Avatar Roku did not alight. He simply and softly bid Melisande and Iroh to rise from where they had been kneeling down. They did as they were told and faced him courageously. Melisande suppressed tears as she looked at Roku and he gave her a sympathetic glance. Around them, the dragons circled and the fires grew more intense. The two living firebenders took two steps forward. No words needed to be exchanged. They both knew what Roku had come for. He nodded at them gravely.

"It is time," the spirit announced.

--

Katara blinked back her tears and forced herself to concentrate harder. Her hands trembled slightly as she placed them on the glowing water on Zuko's chest, trying her best to heal the great wound Ozai had inflicted upon his son. The lightning wound was still very red, and Zuko's flesh beneath the healing water was still very tender and sensitive. The young firebender winced softly as she continued to use up the water's healing properties.

Zuko was still very much in pain but he could also sense Katara's discomfort and stress. Carefully but with some difficulty, he opened his eyes and glanced at her shivering figure. Sweat was pouring down her face and tears were streaking her cheek as she held out her hands over his wound. The glowing water trembled slightly under her control.

"Katara," he whispered softly.

"Sh, don't try to talk, save your energy," she hastily replied, sniffing right after. Nevertheless, he could sense her fear and agitation. He reached out his hand and placed it gently over one of hers.

"I'll be all right," he reassured her, "don't worry."

"I know you will," she replied with a hint of desperation in her voice, "I'll make sure you will."

"You're trembling," he told her, "you should calm down."

With his other hand, Zuko carefully wiped a tear from her face. Katara closed her eyes and allowed herself to finally cry, sobbing loudly and momentarily releasing her hold on the glowing water. She had fixed most of the internal damage caused by the lightning strike but the wound still needed much tending to.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered sadly and Zuko shook his head, disagreeing.

"Why?" he asked, "you've saved my life."

"Just as you saved mine by jumping in front of your father's lightning," Katara answered back.

"I could never let anyone hurt you," Zuko replied, "I was protecting you."

"But why can't I do the same?" she sobbed loudly, "you've done so much for me already."

"And you know why," he reassured her. She smiled sadly back at him and resumed her healing

"If only I still had some more of the Spirit Oasis water," she mumbled as the water soaking her hands and the wound began to glow again, "but I used it all up on Aang's injuries."

"Just like you should," Zuko added with certainty, "that was the right thing to do and you have no reason to regret anything."

"I know, but," Katara said hesitantly, "if I still had some of that water, you would not be in pain for so long. You're out of danger and your wound is healing slowly but it will hurt a lot more as it goes on."

"Katara," Zuko told her, "I can handle it. I've endured much pain in my life, I'll get through this, stop worrying."

"I'm sorry," she said with a small smile, "I guess I can't help but worry."

"I know," he replied, returning her smile, "but if anything eases the pain best, it's having you hear by my side."

"And there's nowhere else I'd rather be," the waterbender answered earnestly. Zuko smiled. They remained that way for a while, each enduring their own pain but comforted and contented by being together, harmony in the midst of chaos. While battles raged and war was waged, these two fighters found solace and peace in one another.

As Katara continued healing Zuko's wounds, she decided that they both needed to talk and think about pleasanter topics, to distract themselves from their current predicament. Difficult as it was for her to adopt a cheerful disposition, she did so, for Zuko's sake. He recognized her efforts and returned them.

They began talking about their experiences together and how fate had led them to find an understanding. In particular, they began reminiscing about their sojourn on the Isle of Azufre, with Melisande, those seemingly endless days they spent together, the adventures, the trials, and even at some point, the laughter.

"Remember when we had to sing to ward off the sirens?" Katara said with a chuckle.

"How could I forget?" Zuko replied sarcastically, "although I have tried to block out that memory for quite some time."

Katara laughed softly at this and they both enjoyed a moment of peaceful contentment.

"We've come such a long way from who we were then," Zuko observed after a short silence, "so much has happened, so much has changed."

"I know," Katara agreed, "and none of this ends here. A whole new future waits for all of us after today, a whole new life."

"How is Aang doing?" Zuko asked as he was unable to turn his head to observe the fight. Katara looked around and watched the battle for a while. Then, she smiled.

"I think he's doing much better," she answered, "their fight is almost over."

"That's good to hear," Zuko replied with a sigh of relief, "it seems that the war will finally be over."

"Peace will return to the Four Nations," Katara added, "this is everything we've ever dreamed of for so long. No more war, understanding between the Earth Kingdom, the Water Tribes, and the Fire Nation. And you will be Fire Lord. Are you ready for it?"

Zuko sighed with recollection. The wound almost healed, Katara released the water and rested her hands.

"I don't think I ever will be fully ready," he answered hesitantly, "but I know that I will do everything in my power to keep anything like this from happening again."

"And you won't be alone," Katara said, holding his hand in hers. He gave her a surprised and questioning look and her smile told him everything he needed to know.

"Thank you, Katara," was all the flustered firebender could manage to say after a few moments of surprise.

--

With a sudden jolt, Zuko's eyes widened and he gasped in pain. Then, instantly, his whole body was covered in shackles of fire, and he screamed in uncontrollable agony, as chains made of fire wrapped themselves criss cross around his body and clamps of flame came around his hands and feet.

"Zuko! What's happening to you?" Katara cried.

Katara gasped in shock, not knowing where the fire had come from and not seeing any firebender near Zuko who might have caused this. She rushed to help him but Zuko refused.

"No!" the firebender shouted when Katara was about to touch him, "don't touch me!"

"But Zuko!" she protested, but he was adamant.

"I don't want you to get involved in this," he said, "I don't want you to get hurt."

"Involved in what?" Katara asked perplexedly, "what are you talking about, Zuko? What's going on?"

But Zuko was unable to respond when he seemed to be shot with another of pain. He began writhing more violently in agony and Katara was left in helpless suspense, unable to approach him and not understanding what was happening to him. A shadow fell over the land and Katara heard a strange, low, deep and loud voice speak.

"The time for judgment has come."

--

_Whew. That was the longest chapter yet. Sorry for the cheesiness in the end. I hope you liked the twist and the fight scenes though. And I hope you weren't bored._

_We have one more chapter to go and a short epilogue. You don't really need to read the epilogue though if you don't want to. But anyway, I won't spoil it for you now._

_I do have one small request for everyone though. I'm sorry if this offends anyone but may I ask for everyone who reads this to leave a review, no matter how short. Any constructive criticism, of course, is more than welcome. I always spell and grammar check the chapters but I'm far from perfect so there will be gaffes. I'm really grateful that many of you have stuck with this story to the end (although there's one chapter left). So I've worked hard to come up with decent chapters. But I am really, desperately hoping that this story reaches 200 reviews, so it isn't so far behind "Sojourn in Solitude." I've worked harder on this and I would really, really, really appreciate any feedback you have for me. I'm sorry if this turns you off._

_And thank you so much for your continued support._


	25. Part Three, Chapter 8

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender" – among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR**

_Fire of all things_

_is the judge and ravisher._

_ - _Heraclitus

--

Judgment.

A shadow fell over the Fire Nation, leaving only Sozin's comet as the source of light. Something inexplicably powerful was in the air and intangible though the presence of this nameless force was, everyone on the field was strangely aware of it. All the great beasts and creatures who had joined the fighting fell silent, their eyes intense, and their bodies still, as if they sensed the arrival of something far more dangerous and powerful. The soldiers, from both sides, took note of the animals' silent restlessness and alertness and were likewise on their guard although they had no idea what was really happening. All the fighting suddenly came to a standstill, as if everyone was lying in wait for something or someone to decide the whole matter.

There was a moment of profound silence. The stillness in the air was almost palpable, the tension that filled it could be sliced with a blade. But it was clear that not everyone was completely unaware of the nameless phenomenon. Several pairs of golden eyes were narrowed at a certain point, expectant and apprehensive. They had been forewarned and in fact, they had already undergone the preliminary stages of this peculiar process some time ago. But they all knew that today would be the ultimate turning point, the climax of the entire affair. And though some of them had already tried to condition their minds, to steel themselves for the journey to come, none of these measures were enough to dispel the chilling fear and anxiety that wracked them at this moment, when they knew that their time of judgment had come. No, this was not death. Death was, in its essence, a bodily experience, physical, tangible. This was not death. There was a greater level of pain involved this, one in which even your very spirit could suffer.

Death was instantaneous and sometimes insignificant. This was not about being snuffed out from the face of the earth, but total eradication, having even the memories of one's existence completely obliterated, leaving no trace, no sliver of what you had once been. This was about redemption.

Each of them had been duly examined, tried, and challenged. But it was only on this day that they would all find out the results of their immense struggles. Some had endured more than others, and it was partly in this regard that they expected to be judged. Not all of those involved in this affair had paid it the proper degree of attention. Along their way, there were those who were fortunate enough to be told, to some extent, of what they needed to do. Others heeded these warnings while others merely ignored them, dismissing the words as whimsical fancy. They would understand everything soon enough, soon enough. What will lead to their undoing?

The sky continued to darken and now the silence was broken by the crash of thunder, though there were no signs of rain. The loud roaring of the heavens made everyone on the field cower and shiver in fear even more. The golden eyes turned to look at the sky but still nothing was there. Slowly, eerily, pain was creeping upon them. Unnoticed, their guilt was beginning to tie a noose around their tender necks, their sins beginning to weigh them down, and their tainted souls beginning to falter under the spell being cast by the unnamed powers of their judgment.

Then, the first screams began as those to be judged felt the initial pangs of their guilt. Chains of fire wrapped themselves around the hapless victims, winding tighter and tighter, suffocating, burning, cutting, hurting them all. Their eyes went wide and they gasped and moaned in utter agony while those who were around them tried in vain to help them. Tears fell from their eyes as they struggled with the pain but they could do nothing to stop it. Nothing would save them now but their own prior actions. As far as the power was concerned, it was far too late to overturn what had been decided for them.

Pitiful was the predicament of those people who stood near these victims, watching them writhe in agony but unable to help them in any way. It was even more shocking to the spectators since those involved in this were some of the strongest warriors in the force, and yet they seemed as weak and helpless as the most frail and inept.

"Lady Melisande!"

"General Iroh!"

But the two firebenders were still able to raise their hands in protest when their companions approached them to try and help. Between gasps and moans, the two expressed that they did not want anyone to come near them or to come into contact with them lest these innocents might be afflicted with the nameless ailment as well. Iroh and Melisande were both adamant and pleading, a strange but moving combination which compelled the soldiers to obey, albeit very reluctantly.

"What's happening to them?" the soldiers asked one another desperately. Some even attempted at asking for an explanation from the fire shackled commanders. But alas, all Melisande and Iroh could manage by way of a reply was violent shaking of their heads. One of the other soldiers remonstrated the other for being so insensitive and stupid.

"Can't you see that it's torture enough for them to try to speak?" the soldier lectured.

"But how will we know how to help them if we don't even know what's going on with them?" the first soldier protested, "I'm only trying to be of use!"

"Enough," Jeong Jeong interrupted firmly, "this is no time to argue."

"Master Jeong Jeong," the soldiers begged the firebending master, "what is happening to our leaders?"

Jeong Jeong closed his eyes and bowed his head. He had a grave and darkly, pained expression on his face which frightened the others. The old man clenched his fist and shook slightly but respected Iroh and Melisande's wishes by not approaching them. Both tormented firebenders were able to give him a grateful look in the midst of their throes.

"It is better for you not to know," Jeong Jeong replied, "you will see soon enough. For now, there is nothing that we can do to help them."

The soldiers all gasped and whispers began being exchanged among the forces. The fighting had stopped completely and even the Phoenix King's forces were afraid and apprehensive. Sensing danger in the skies, the flocks of buzzard wasps, raven eagles, and boar hawks had began descending. When Sokka noticed this behavior, he ordered for the war balloons to make their landing. Even Toph had sensed the tension and the coming darkness so she eagerly agreed with Sokka's decision.

Now that the Water Tribe Warrior and the blind earthbender had returned to solid ground, Toph immediately knew what was going on by feeling the vibrations on the ground with her feet. She instantly realized just how tense the atmosphere had become and she also sensed those who were the most adversely affected by the inexplicable force. The blind girl's eyes also widened in shock and alarm when she realized that both Iroh and Melisande were in severe pain. Toph tugged at Sokka's sleeve frantically.

"Sokka, we have to do something," the earthbender said urgently, "we have to help them."

"Huh? What? What's going on?" replied the confused Water Tribe Warrior, put at unease by the usually cool girl's uncharacteristic worry. If Toph was worked up so badly, then, the situation was very grave. From the corner of his eye, Sokka noticed his father running towards him quickly.

"Sokka!" Hakoda cried as he reached his son, "thank goodness you're all right."

"Dad," asked the younger warrior with concern, "what's going on here? I thought we were winning the battle."

"We have won, son," Hakoda replied, "but something has gone wrong with some of the firebenders. Iroh and Melisande have been engulfed in strange chains of fire which even they cannot control."

"We have to help them!" Toph insisted, her tone growing more urgent as she began dragging Sokka off to where she knew Melisande and Iroh continued to twist and turn in pain.

"But what can we do?" Sokka asked. His father followed them, describing the situation and explaining that the two firebenders in question had refused aid of all sorts. No one knew what to do.

Toph stood next to Melisande, the blind earthbender's fists clenched. Melisande had told Toph not to interfere with them and though Toph had stubbornly tried to help, the firebender only moved further away, leaving Toph to stand there in silent fury. There was nothing she could do and this irked her to no end. Sokka, Hakoda, and the rest stood likewise, worried and concerned, but unable to do anything to help.

In another part of the army, another individual was being chained in fire in a similar way to the aforementioned firebenders. The soldiers around him kept their distance in shock. No one had expected this to happen to him, of all people. Not even he had imagined this possible. But here he was, struggling and moaning in pain as the fire consumed him, unable to resist the clamps that burned his skin, unaware of what he may have done to merit such treatment. He screamed and winced and moaned and twitched but the pain would not go away. The others tried to approach him but he sent them away, afraid to hurt someone else, to afflict them with this nameless disease. He closed his eyes firmly, gritting his teeth, willing himself to endure, as he had always endured every hardship in his life. With resilience. With patience. With silence. But such fortitude was so hard to come by when one was in extreme agony.

And then, much to everyone else's surprise, his throes ceased. As suddenly as they had appeared, the chains of fire which had bound his entire body now vanished into thin air and he was breathing and moving as if they had never even touched him. Every trace of the burns and wounds had disappeared and he now lay, gasping, and wide-eyed, but unscathed. He sighed a grateful sigh of relief and the soldiers who had shied away from him now approached him and inquired after his health. He nodded to them, still seeming in a daze, as the concern was poured around him. But in his heart, he was relieved. For some inexplicable reason, he understood that he had been spared from some great pain.

And if only Melisande had not been busy at that very moment dealing with her fiery shackles (which had still not released her or Iroh), she would have seen the phenomenon affect Notho Zaides and she would have realized the secret to his identity. But alas, the truth was not for her or anyone to discover just yet.

Elsewhere on the field, where there were no spectators, no companions, two other members of the Fire Nation were enduring the unspeakable pain caused by the chains of fire. Screaming and crying as their bodies were wrapped around by fire which they could not control, Ursa and Azula were in utter misery. And no one was even there to witness their torment. Mother and daughter could not even communicate to one another although they were only inches away because they were so consumed with the unbelievable agony the strange fire was causing them. Azula, in particular, was severely hurt by what was happening since she had only just recovered from strenuous physical activity. Ursa could vaguely see her daughter in the same throes of pain, a sight which only caused more tears to flow from the loving mother's eyes. But there was nothing to be done. She could not even help herself.

Katara continued to weep helplessly as she watched Zuko writhe in pain. She could do nothing because the closer she came to him, the larger the flames grew, and the louder he screamed. It was breaking her heart to see that she was causing him more suffering but she also could not stand doing nothing. The kindhearted waterbender was torn as she continued to tearfully witness Zuko's pain which had not ceased for the past few minutes. In fact, the pain seemed to intensify as time went on. And there was nothing more frustrating for a healer than seeing that there was nothing she could do. Especially since the victim of such mysterious pain was one she loved so very dearly.

The cries of one other firebender echoed across the plain and those who had bothered to look for the origins of the mournful sounds realized that the fallen Phoenix King was also enchained in fire like the others. He too was in the midst of great pain and agony. Then, when the onlookers took a more careful glance, they saw the Avatar, using his airbending to levitate several feet from the Phoenix King, in a meditating position.

Aang was seated Indian style, floating in the air, with his two arms positioned so that the arrow tattoos were facing each other. His eyes were closed in concentration and his head was slightly bowed. He did not seem to notice what was happening around him. A great, dark, shadowy cloud was forming behind him, an immense figure slowly becoming visible and more distinct.

"_The Avatar State as you first knew it was dangerous and highly unstable. Activating it relied on uncontrollable rage and sorrow, and it served as a defense mechanism against painful experiences._

_But the moment you have mastered the Avatar State, it will reflect your own gentle nature, and the culture of restraint and control that you have imbibed as one of the Air Nomads. In its truest form, the Avatar State is not merely a weapon of great power, but also a tool for discernment and proper harmony. And used wisely, as only the Avatar should, you will do greater things than you have every imagined._

_Detached from the distractions of war and fighting, the Avatar State will help you fulfill the final task of your destiny to restore peace – judgment."_

Aang's gray eyes whipped open, glowing brightly with the combined power of all his past lives. His arrow tattoos had begun glowing as well, filling the crimson sky with white luminescence. And then, one by one, every firebender afflicted with the mysterious chains of fire had begun rising to the sky, inexplicably levitating, although still bound in their painful shackles, their bodies floated at the same height as the Avatar's, causing even more shock to those watching from the ground. But once again, there was really nothing anyone could do to stop or even explain the phenomenon. All they could hope for was to see the whole thing unfold before them. Only the Avatar held the key to this mystery.

One by one, the firebenders formed a circle around the floating Avatar, their bodies chained, their heads bowed, and their faces contorted in absolute agony. There were six of them in all: Iroh, Ozai, Ursa, Melisande, Zuko, and Azula. None of them could say a word to the other but their golden eyes took note of all those present and the two youngest members cast questioning glances towards their elders. Ursa and Melisande had their heads bowed in dejection, their postures so defeated that at that moment, they were impossible to tell apart. Ozai was seething with rage but could do nothing. Iroh's eyes were closed in resignation to his fate and his head was bowed humbly. From the ground, the two great and ancient dragons, one blue, and one red, soared to where the condemned firebenders had assembled in the sky. The pair of dragons criss-crossed their bodies and formed a sort of circular barrier around the six floating firebenders, their scales glinting in the Avatar's light as they flew around.

Zuko turned his eyes towards the glowing figure of the Avatar and the larger shadow that was forming behind Aang. Ozai's eyes widened in surprise them moment he recognized the materializing figure.

"Impossible," the stunned Phoenix King muttered to himself, "it can't be."

But once again, his incredulity was proven valid. Impossible things never ceased to occur on this day of the comet. For at the center of the circle, behind the small, radiant figure of the airbender in the Avatar State, floated the live and breathing figure of the giant from the cave. His face was stern and his posture as rigid as his statue's had been. The majestic figure held up his fettered hands, each bogged down by a set of weights. His golden eyes were ablaze although his face lacked any expression. Aang seemed aware of his presence but the airbender said nothing. He seemed to be giving complete control of the situation over to the great being.

"It is time," the giant spoke, in the deep, rumbling voice, seemingly coming from the very recesses of the earth, "for you to be judged. Let us begin."

--

On the ground, everything was still. All the creatures had stopped fighting and now raised their eyes to the spectacle above them. The fighters from both sides dropped their weapons and stood in awe of the grand trial before them. No one dared speak, no one dared stir. All attention was focused on the dragons, the six firebenders, the Avatar, and the giant. They heard every word uttered by the regal being and now, all the spectators on the ground were lying in suspense, waiting for the judgment to take place.

This was unlike anything any of them had ever seen. Even the revered Old Masters, Bumi, Jeong Jeong, Piandao, and Pakku, who had seen and heard many great things in their long life times, had never dreamed of or imagined something like this. Some of them may have read vague accounts, heard strange stories, or heard rumors, but nothing they knew came close to what was now taking place. The remains of the Fire Nation royal family was at that moment, being held accountable for all their sins, and the sins of their entire clan. This was not going to be a simple proceeding, and everyone knew it. But they all listened intently, eager to hear what the giant spirit would utter next.

Katara watched the event with horror and worry beyond anything she had ever known. Seeing Zuko in so much pain was hard for her to bear. And it was even more hurtful to know that he would have to stand trial for the sins he had long ago already atoned for. She felt similar pity and compassion for Iroh, Ursa, and Melisande. More than anyone else on that battlefield, Katara knew and remembered all the hardship these firebenders had had to endure to make amends for their own mistakes. Vividly did the waterbender recall all that she had gone through with Zuko and Melisande on the Isle of Azufre, that sojourn in solitude when she had learned so much from them both. Tears continued to flow down the girl's cheek.

"Why must they continue to suffer? They have already endured so much," Katara thought sorrowfully. She turned her blue eyes to the silent figure of the young Avatar, her hands clasped together as if in fervent prayer.

"I have faith in you, Aang," Katara thought as she gazed upon the airbender, the gentle soul she had come to know so well, "I know that you will be just to them."

Katara only hoped that her thoughts and wishes were somehow reaching the now distant and slightly alien Avatar. She had always been able to reach Aang while he was in the Avatar state, and it was on this circumstance that she greatly depended.

The comet continued to blaze across the sky, bestowing its power on the great firebenders at work in the air. The dragons proceeded with their almost tenuous dance around the floating figures of the "convicts". The Avatar stood, floating, at the center, his tattoos glowing and his posture calm. Each of the six firebenders now had his or her head bowed, either in defeat, fear, or simple exhaustion. There was no escape for them. The giant spirit with the piercing golden eyes glanced at each and every one of the victims before pronouncing a word.

"Descendants of Sozin," the booming voice began, his eyes resting on Iroh, Ozai, Zuko, and Azula, "let me see your faces."

And as if they had no control over their movements, the four heads were jerked upward, showing tense, confused, and fearful faces. The giant continued to stare at them intensely with those powerful, accusing eyes before he continued his speech. They all shrank beneath his gaze but they had no power to look away completely, so all of them continued to feel the heat and the fury of that pair of eyes that seemed to peel every layer of them, to seep into their cores.

"Sozin was a foolish man," the authoritative voice proceeded, "blinded by his lust for power and his unforgivable acts of war and destruction made him a disgrace to the long line of honorable Fire Lords. He has stained your name with his sins, but you have done nothing but continued his tradition of greed and violence. You have allowed his disgrace to live on, to perpetrate, and to continue spreading hatred in this world of peace.

You have caused great pain and suffering. Death and destruction have ravaged the land that was once fertile and beautiful. You have broken numerous families, destroyed the lives of countless people, all in continuing to satisfy your insatiable lust for power and control.

Sozin's and your actions have brought disgrace and dishonor upon the great Fire Nation, as well as a negative stigma towards our noble element. Fire now, as a result of this hundred years of struggle and war, has come to symbolize destruction and hatred, when fire was always meant to bring life and light. You have blighted even the meaning and understanding of our element. "

Although some of these claims no longer applied to some of the accused, no one said a word. They all somehow understood that nothing they could say would help them in this situation. Iroh and Zuko hung their heads in shame while Ozai and Azula merely averted their eyes in discomfort. The two sisters who remained unnoticed by the giant for the time being, continued to bow their heads, as if patiently waiting for their turn.

After a few moments, the giant turned his intense gaze towards the twin sisters who bowed their heads even lower the moment those eyes had settled on them. But strangely, the stare seemed (ever so slightly) less accusing and angry. But there was still a stern reprimand in the expression, one which Ursa and Melisande both expected and dreaded.

From where he was, Zuko tried to get a better look at his mother and aunt, worried and confused was he. Even Azula seemed slightly curious and perplexed at why her mother and aunt were still involved in this strange and painful ritual. Surely, they had not done anything so terrible which had incurred the giant's wrath? After all, Ursa and Melisande were no blood descendants of Fire Lord Sozin. In fact, they were...

"Granddaughters of Avatar Roku," the giant began, still in that same booming voice, "you have played a part in this menace as well. Show me your eyes."

Quickly, calmly, and obediently, Ursa and Melisande raised their faces and returned the giant's deep gaze. As opposed to those of their judge, Ursa and Melisande's golden eyes were glistening with tears, their faces betraying all the emotions they felt right at that moment. But still, there was no change in the giant spirit's expression.

"You have disappointed me," the giant continued, his words causing more injury to the two women than any of the fire chains ever could, "your alliance with the Fire Lord should have brought about the change that was needed to redeem your family, and to make amends for your grandfather's earlier miscalculations.

But instead of being instruments of the necessary reforms, both of you were content to become one with the system, conforming to standards which you both knew to be wrong. There is so much that you could have prevented merely by choosing the right side at the right time. There was so much change that only you could have effected.

But you were ignorant, blinded by your own foolish desires and ambitions. Both of you failed to realize early enough just how much power you possessed in yourselves, not just because you are descendants of the previous Avatar. You had so much power, which you had to relinquish when both of you were forced into exile.

You have committed crimes of your own, crimes which require full atonement. Through your deep association with the family of the Fire Lord, you too must be involved in this trial. You too must bear the burden of their disgrace."

All those who had listened to the speech of the giant to the twin sisters were shocked and amazed. Somehow, none of those accusations seemed very fair to either Ursa or Melisande. It seemed that so much had been expected of the two sisters, and perhaps the burden had been too much to bear for both that they had not matched up to these weighty expectations. But it was hard to believe that either woman was being accused of heinous crimes.

Even Iroh, and the others were shocked at the giant's address to the twins, so well did they know the characters of Ursa and Melisande. But since neither woman made any sign of protest to the giant's words, no one attempted to do anything else. Perhaps there was an even greater secret and mystery that the two women had concealed with them for so many years. Nevertheless, whatever "crimes" they may have committed were understood to be atoned for.

The giant's gaze transferred from the side of the circle where the twins had been and the great being now turned his gaze around to all the six figures still floating in uneasy anticipation for the next step. Likewise, the worried and concerned friends of the accused stood anxiously on the ground, straining to hear if any of the six convicts said anything or if the Avatar had at last intervened. But none of this had happened yet.

"You cannot hide anything from me," the giant said, this time, addressing all six of the convicts, "I have been watching your every move from the moment you were all born. I know all that you have done, every dirty deed, every act of shame and dishonor, and every ounce of hatred that fueled your rages of destruction. You cannot hide anything from me."

The majestic figure extended his shackled arms and the weights began to sway back and forth, up and down, in careful, calculated motions.

"Every sin you have committed has a corresponding price to pay," the blazing-eyed spirit proclaimed, "every misdeed must be atoned for in blood and suffering and pain."

It was at this moment that severe sharp jolts of pain were coursed through the bodies of the six royal firebenders and their entire bodies stiffened from the abruptness. Their faces once again began contorting as they endured unspeakable pain. The spectators from the ground gasped in horror as they watched the scene but nothing could be done to help.

"Zuko!" Katara could not resist crying out loud, running closer towards where the dancing dragons encircled the suffering six, "hold on! You can pull through this! I know you can! Please, hold on!"

But what none of the people on the ground knew was that aside from the already severe physical torment all six firebenders were experiencing, great psychological pain was also being inflicted upon them as part of their heavy punishment. Even as each of them tried to shut out the physical pain, every emotional wound began to bleed afresh as they time passed. Each of the royal firebenders was secretly reliving all the most painful experiences in his or her life, and this was the greatest torture of all.

Every moment of defeat, despair, agony, failure, hopelessness, grief, sorrow, all these unpleasant sensations were rendered a hundredfold back into their consciousness. Every drop of blood spilled, every tear shed, every heartache, every loss, every frustration, every hindrance, all of their lives' worst moments replayed over and over in their head even as their bodies twitched violently from the throes of great pain. None of the people who were watching their shaking figures from the ground fully understood the depth and breadth of their suffering during those few moments of unadulterated agony. No one knew of the wounds reopened through bitter memories, which looped forever in their already tortured minds.

The giant spirit's golden eyes blazed with an ineffable fury as he watched the six in their agony. In his chained hands, the huge weights continued to sway back and forth, not yet settling on an equilibrium. Balance had not yet been achieved. The immense figure turned his body and faced the eldest of the firebenders on trial, the so-called Dragon of the West, Iroh.

"Every sin has a price," the giant repeated to Iroh, extending his great arms with the weights bouncing up and down, "but every act of kindness also merits a reward."

And in an instant, Iroh felt himself released from the tight chains of fire and from the intangible torment which had seized him only a few moments before. He no longer felt the slightest tinge of the physical pain he had been enduring only a few moments before. He looked at himself and saw that he had no wounds, no bruises, no scars to mark the places where the chains had singed his skin and burned into his flesh. He was well and unblemished, feeling more invigorated than ever.

The old firebending master still found himself floating in mid-air, face to face with the great giant fire spirit. This time, however, the giant had a softer expression in his amber eyes as he gazed at Iroh. Returning the gaze, Iroh saw in those glowing pools of gold, not only his reflection but a host of images from his past, memories never forgotten and each image reflected in the giant's eyes was a significant turning point in Iroh's life. The old man was almost in tears as he watched all those important and pleasant events flash by in the gaze of the great spirit. The tears then began flowing the moment Iroh caught sight of the laughing figure of his son, Lu Ten.

"You may have at first followed in the footsteps of your forefathers," the giant explained, this time in a tone gentler and kinder than anyone had heard him use, "you chose the right path after a while. You have done a great deal of good to so many people in recent times, and the side you have fought for in this great battle, and the role you played in the reclaiming of Ba Sing Se have not gone unnoticed.

You, Iroh, have already endured great pain, through the loss of your only son, Lu Ten. But through this grief, you have done many good things. You have guided the lost to finding the right way. You have helped teach the young Avatar the art of firebending. But the ultimate act of nobility which has redeemed you, and liberated you from the punishment due to your line, was your protection of the last dragons."

At this, the aforementioned majestic creatures flew in a different, more beautiful pattern, as if in a dance of gratitude.

"Instead of slaying them, you chose to keep their existence a secret," the giant continued, "and thereby saving them, so that they themselves have deemed you worthy of properly wielding the element of fire. And by your acts, you have been absolved."

Immediately after the giant uttered those words, Iroh was slowly brought to the ground where he landed safe and sound. From where he was, the old firebender was able to vaguely glance at the Avatar and noticed that the young airbender had given him a slow and earnest nod. But though he had already been released, Iroh was still worried about the other five who remained writhing in pain and punishment, unaware that he had been freed. Iroh watched in trepidation as the giant approached the next person, Ursa.

"Selfless sacrifice merits great mercy," the giant announced. And in an instant, just like what happened to Iroh, Ursa felt herself released from the great prison of the fiery chains and the sorrowful memories. She faced the giant with grateful tears in her eyes but before the spirit said a word, Ursa immediately begged the spirit to release her son, daughter, and sister in her stead. But before she could continue, she too began seeing her happiest memories (as a mother and sister) reflected in the spirit's golden eyes. Ursa began to shed tears.

"You are a gentle and loving soul born to a cruel world," the giant said, "and though you may not always have made the right choices, you were always giving yourself to save others. You never ceased caring and loving people, no matter how much they have injured you. You forgave your sister and found ways to save her. Despite all the things you disapproved in her, you never stopped loving your daughter. And you endured the pain of separation through exile in order to save the life of your son. Your selfless sacrifice will not go unnoticed, and you are released from this trial."

Ursa descended to the ground slowly and Iroh was there to take her hand. But neither of them was fully content as they watched with concern at the continuing trial. They were both still worried about the fates of the others. Katara had made her way to them and gave the firebender woman a warm and embrace. Both women hugged each other tight, both of them so worried about Zuko that they found solace in each other's presence and their shared worry. They then turned back to watch as the giant approached Melisande this time. Katara hoped fervently that the giant would show the same mercy and compassion to Ursa's sister since the waterbender was better acquainted with the lady and knew well what Melisande had suffered in her life to atone for whatever her crimes were.

"Your noble audacity and resilience have earned you your freedom," the giant proclaimed simply, and at once, Melisande was released from the pain. The same thing happened to her as with Ursa, she found herself looking into several happy scenes from her life in the eyes of the spirit. She made a grateful gesture to the giant, smiling earnestly, her eyes glistening with tears of joy and relief.

"You may have been dazzled by ambition at first," the spirit said, "but you too found your way. Risking your life many times by forming the rebel army and going against the Fire Lord by helping your fellow citizens, you had to endure much pain and suffering. This was followed by your long exile to the Isle of Azufre, that ineffable prison, the isolation, and the storm that you survived. You have learned much from your struggles and your subsequent wise choices and noble feats have earned you this redemption."

And with that, Melisande joined her sister, Iroh, and Katara on the ground. Still slightly shaken from the experience, the firebender found herself locked in a tight embrace from both Ursa and Katara. Finding comfort in their arms, she returned the gesture. But none of them had forgotten that there was still one person in particular who had yet to be freed. Ursa expressed concern, of course, over the fates of both of her children. Melisande and Iroh, though they were blood relatives of Azula, found it very difficult to feel the slightest tinges of pity or affection for her. They were more concerned, naturally, about Zuko. And so was Katara, who took several steps and found herself standing directly below Zuko's floating figure, with the two dragons still circling the remaining three "convicts."

After witnessing the fair judgments passed on Iroh, Ursa, and Melisande, Katara was confident that Zuko too would be acquitted. And yet, a certain part of her was still in worrisome doubt over the matter. After all, she was still puzzled as to why the giant, and Aang, had allowed Zuko to endure the severe punishment for longer than the others. A part of the waterbender felt enraged at the injustice of the treatment of him. Surely he had done nothing so atrocious as to place him at the same level as Azula, and most especially, Ozai. Katara found herself getting angry at the great spirit, and she somehow mistrusted his so-called powers of judgment. Why was he allowing Zuko's punishment to be prolonged? Why did Zuko have to suffer some more? Tears kept flowing down Katara's cheeks and she wiped them off impatiently. There had to be some way for her to intervene, to help him. She refused to see the one she loved trapped in such a predicament. Katara had never been one to sit idly for long periods of time. She would do something to ease his suffering, even if it meant that she had to risk her own life, to expressly go against his request that she should not interfere. Her blue eyes suddenly acquired an expression of complete and obstinate determination. No matter what, she never turned her back on people who needed her.

Zuko's judgment was of a different nature. The giant faced the tormented young man but said nothing to him. Neither did the ancient spirit release Zuko from his bonds of fire. The young firebender remained trapped in his mental and physical prison, plagued by memories of all his mistakes in life, of all his flawed decisions, every action he regretted doing, flashed before his eyes while the rest of his body was in absolute turmoil. And still, the giant looked at him wordlessly, as if still assessing Zuko's character, still in the process of deciding his fate.

Aang had not intervened in the previous cases because he had known very little about the people involved. Another factor which had caused his non-interference was the fact that the cases of Iroh, Ursa, and Melisande had already been decided with relative speed and their conflicts had been duly resolved. Aang was more than satisfied with the results and trusted in the ancient spirit's judgment. But the Avatar had also noticed the giant's prolonged attention to Zuko and Aang was becoming more and more concerned about the firebender who had become one of his dearest friends. He did not see why Zuko had to suffer longer than the others and the young airbender believed that it was time for him to step in and aid in the judgment.

Aang knew just how much Zuko had changed and the young Avatar was also aware of all the significant contributions and sacrifices Zuko had made in order to help end the war. Zuko had proven to be a loyal and trustworthy friend as well as a wise and patient mentor in firebending. He was a staunch and avid supporter of all their efforts, and a powerful ally. But most importantly, Zuko made Katara happy. When the airbender saw just how much the firebender and the waterbender loved each other, he felt a great sense of contentment and pride. Knowing how much seeing Zuko suffer was hurting Katara, Aang decided to intervene.

"Zuko has earned his redemption too," the Avatar told the giant earnestly, "he may have spent the early part of his life in the Fire Nation, performing his princely duties, and then, trying to capture me for three years, but he is a good person and he has chosen the right side. His help and support have been invaluable to me and I believe that he does not deserve to suffer any longer to pay for the sins of his forefathers."

The giant said nothing for a few moments, but continued to stare intently at Zuko's writhing figure. Aang then continued listing the virtues and achievements of Zuko, in attempts to convince the great fire spirit of the young prince's merits.

"So this is your estimation of him?" the giant asked the Avatar. Aang replied eagerly in the affirmative, his expression hopeful, and he thought that he had finally convinced the giant to release Zuko from his chains of atonement. Unfortunately, Aang was mistaken.

"These are commendable feats indeed," was all the giant had to say, "but there is one more thing I need to see, I need to ascertain, before I make my final judgment?"

"But what more do you need?" Aang protested loudly. He was incredulous and found the giant's ambiguous answer utterly frustrating. "You know as well as I do that Zuko has done more than enough to earn his freedom from this wretched family curse!"

The giant said nothing, still regarding Zuko with silent interest, but still doing absolutely nothing to change Zuko's situation. Down below, Iroh, Ursa, and Melisande had begun pleading with the spirit in earnest to free Zuko from the pain. Aang launched in an elaborate argument, highlighting once more all of Zuko's good works and qualities. But the giant remained unmovable. At one point, Aang had even tried to undo Zuko's chains through firebending but he had no power to do so and the giant merely turned and gave him a stern look like one of a father telling his son to know his place. And even in his great Avatar state, the Avatar shrunk away from those blazing golden eyes.

The moment the towering Fire Spirit turned his gaze back to his current victim, he found himself face to face with a headstrong young waterbender, riding atop the blue dragon. He said nothing to her but his eyes betrayed an expression of extreme interest and curiosity. Somehow, Katara had been able to coax the blue dragon to help her get closer to the great spirit. The waterbender knew she was taking an enormous risk in doing so but she could no longer bear to do nothing for Zuko. The air was filled with gasps and murmurs as everyone looked surprised at Katara's boldness. Even Aang was taken aback.

"Katara, what are you doing?" the Avatar said, "you're not supposed to be here."

"And why not?" Katara retorted adamantly, "when the one I love is in terrible pain, there must be something I can do to help."

"Calm down," Aang replied, "I've got the situation under control."

"Do you?" Katara accused, "then, why is Zuko still chained and tortured?"

At this Aang fell silent, having nothing to answer. The giant all the while had listened to this exchange with interest.

"Let the girl speak, Avatar," the spirit then announced, "I am curious to hear what she has to say."

Aang nodded respectfully. Katara gave a reverent bow to the spirit before she said her piece.

"With all due respect, great and noble spirit," the waterbender began courteously, "I come here on behalf of Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation."

"And what have you to say to me that has not already been said?" the giant replied, but not with ill will, "I know of everything that he has done. I have known him even longer than you."

"Then you must know that he has a right to be acquitted from this harsh judgment," Katara replied quickly, surprised at her own tenacity. But she refused to be intimidated.

"Do you really believe that he must be freed?"

"I am certain of it," Katara replied calmly and resolutely.

"Why have you come here to speak on his behalf?" the giant spirit asked her, "why does a person so wholly unconnected to him in blood or race risk so much to defend him?"

"I love him, great spirit," Katara replied simply, "and it pains me to see him this way. I know that he has made mistakes in the past, but so have we all. And he has done his utmost to make amends. Zuko is a good person, sir, I have no doubt about that."

"And you are prepared to risk your own life to save him?" the giant asked quietly.

"If that is what will save him, then, yes," Katara replied staunchly, without the slightest hint of hesitation. She returned the great spirit's piercing gaze with her own powerful blue one. She was trembling with slight fear and nervousness but she did not want to falter in this, what she considered one of the most important endeavours in her life.

"Then, he is free," the spirit announced simply.

Then, in the blink of an eye, Zuko was released from his chains and instead of floating peacefully to the ground, he found himself riding the back of the red dragon. The majestic beast flew towards its partner, who still had Katara riding his back, and the moment the two lovers came face to face was utterly indescribable. Joy, relief, ecstasy, gratitude, peace, love, and a whole smörgåsbord of emotions were etched on their faces. The dragons flew close enough to each other, their heads leaning on the other, for Zuko and Katara to run to each other and embrace warmly, smiling and crying, and reveling in their reunion, knowing no words to describe the sensation of being together once again.

That one shining moment was the sublimest of all, that simple, heartfelt reunion was more radiant and more beautiful and triumphant than any victory they had made in the many battles fought on that day.

"Prince Zuko," the giant announced simply, "you shall make a fine Fire Lord."

Aang smiled benevolently at the happy couple and finally realized what it was that the giant had been waiting for. And when the Avatar thought about it, the giant had been wise after all, although also a tad bit sentimental.

On the ground, Ursa, Melisande, and Iroh were hugging one another, in joyful tears, exchanging sighs of relief and heartfelt laughter. Hakoda sighed with relief as well and Toph and Sokka hugged each other in joy. The other Old Masters were likewise glad to know what had happened. The news quickly spread of the release of the four rebel firebenders and a cheer of victory rose from the allied troops. Even the Phoenix King's former soldiers, now humbled by their defeat at the hands of the allied forces and the great beasts from the Four Nations, found it in them to rejoice at the liberation. Being no longer under the control and power of Ozai, they felt free at last, and they even joined in the celebrations. But nothing was final yet. After all, there remained two more firebenders awaiting judgment from their ancient, giant fire spirit. People quieted down and waited anxiously for the outcome.

Zuko and Katara stood hand in hand on the back of the red dragon while Aang had chosen to ride the blue dragon. The pair of regal creatures had resumed their dance around the two remaining firebenders awaiting judgment while the giant spirit gazed at them intently, the weights in his hands moving up and down precariously.

"Azula and Ozai," the giant said finally, with the two snapping out of their psychological prisons but remaining in chains of fire, "your sins and crimes are already too numerous to mention. You have been cruel and ruthless, even to one another, determined to surpass the other in power and control. Not once did either of you show the smallest hints of remorse for all your crimes. Not once did either of you undergo any rites of atonement, endure any trials, make any sacrifices that would make amends for the damage you have caused to the world. Instead, you had chosen the path of complete destruction, of hatred and fear, of chaos and discord."

Exhausted physically and weighed down by the guilt of all the harsh truths being told to them, Azula and Ozai had their heads bowed, their hair wet with sweat, sticking to their faces.

The giant turned Azula first.

"You," the giant addressed her, "the dread princess and firebending prodigy. You have gravely abused the gift bestowed upon you by the spirits, using your talent only to forward your own selfish ambitions and to cause much pain and suffering. You have been corrupted by your greed and desire for more power. It is your power which sustains you, the acquisition of more power which gives you purpose in life. Thus, as a punishment for your crimes, you will be stripped of all that has fueled your rage and hatred. You will have no bending, and no strength. You shall become but a shadow of your former self."

With that, Azula's back was arched and large flames seemed to exit her body. As these fires came out of her figure, she began to look more and more frail, more and more broken. The flames of her power were reabsorbed by the giant spirit.

"You shall never be what you once were," was all the spirit said in conclusion, leaving Azula's body to fall freely to the ground. In the nick of time, the red dragon, led by Zuko and Katara, flew by to catch her feeble form. Azula was conscious but very, very weak and she had tears in her eyes and looked more pitiful than Zuko could ever imagine. His expression softened as he cradled his sister in his arms while Katara looked on sympathetically.

"If I may, sir," Zuko addressed the giant spirit carefully, "is there any chance that my sister may regain her bending someday?"

"And what could possibly merit such a reward?" asked the great spirit.

"Please, sir," Zuko said in earnest, "my sister is young. She may have been corrupted by a terrible role model but I still have faith that she can change for the better. She is not a wholly evil person. And there are still some of us who care for her, who will help her take the right path. My mother and I will guide her so that she may be reformed, no matter how gradually. If this transformation takes place at any time in the future, could there still be a chance for her to re-acquire her powers?"

The giant looked at Zuko and saw that the young man was completely serious. Somehow, he still cared for the sister who had never even treated him well. It was a noble thought indeed.

"Perhaps," was the curt answer, "but she will never be as powerful as she once was. But if she has truly changed, then she will be content even with humble skills."

"Thank you," Zuko replied respectfully, following this with a bow. The red dragon descended to the ground and Zuko, Katara, and Azula rejoined the rest of the family. Tearful embraces were exchanged between them. An emotional Ursa had hugged Zuko and then began cradling Azula in her arms. The princess said nothing but tears flowed down her cheeks freely as she listened to her mother's words of comfort.

Then, in the midst of the reunion, a figure was seen running quickly towards them. Quite soon, they all recognized him to be Haru who rushed to where Ursa held Azula close. Boldly and unabashedly, the earthbender knelt by Azula's side and took her hand gently in his.

Zuko and Katara watched this incredulously, first looking at each other and then looking back at Haru. Ursa and Iroh smiled with sympathetic understanding and Melisande rolled her eyes.

Creating even a bigger scandal (although by now he really could not care what others thought), Haru raised Azula's frail, pale, thin hand to his lips. The princess's eyes widened slightly at the contact before she found the energy enough to scowl at him. She was, however, too weak to snatch her hand away from him.

"You're a fool, Haru," she managed to say, though not with the same acid as before.

"I know," the earthbender replied calmly. Azula sighed with resignation.

"Just," she said simply, "get rid of that mustache."

--

"And how shall you judge the Phoenix King?" the Avatar asked the giant spirit. Aang was anxious to see this entire issue resolved completely. He had seen and learned from the great and ancient spirit about crime and punishment, kindness and reward. He was eager to know how the spirit would sentence the greatest criminal of them all.

This time, however, the spirit made no move to do anything and it almost seemed as if he had turned into a statue once more.

"The fate of the Fire Lord lies with the Avatar alone," the giant said, "it is your decision, and yours alone. His life is in your hands. You have seen how judgment is meted out. Now, it is your turn to do so. Choose wisely, young Avatar."

Aang bowed his head in acceptance, no longer perturbed about what he was about to do. He had come to a clear decision on how to finally fulfill his destiny and his duty to the world. And, much to his relief, his solution did not, by any means, contradict the values he had been raised to follow.

The blue dragon flew towards Ozai's chained figure. Carefully, the Avatar laid a palm on the older man's head and immediately, a radiant bluish light filled the body of the young airbender. Something similar had happened to Ozai as well but he was filled with golden light instead. Then, this golden light was absorbed by the radiance of the Avatar until none was left in the older man's body. His figure had begun to shrink as well and Ozai was reduced to nothing but an emaciated, weak, but living shell of his past.

"All your life, power has driven you to do terrible things," Aang addressed the fallen king calmly and resolutely, "and now, I have taken all this power from you. No matter how horrible a person you are, I still do not have a right to take your life. And I shall not. But I will make sure that you shall never be able to bring harm to anyone ever again. That is my final judgment."

And with that, Ozai's body floated slowly to the ground where he landed pathetically, unable to react, lacking the strength to even raise his hand in protest. All those who watched him fall were in shock. But after a few moments, the reality of his complete and utter defeat sunk in, and cries of joy and jubilation filled the air. The Phoenix King had fallen. The war was over.

Meanwhile, Aang had turned to face the ancient spirit. The giant's face still had no clear expression on his face but his eyes betrayed a certain approval. As mysteriously as he had arrived, the giant now began to slowly disintegrate.

"Well done, Avatar Aang," were the final words uttered by the spirit before he completely disappeared. Aang made a respectful bow before telling the blue dragon to bring him down to the ground. As soon as Aang took his first steps on the solid earth, Sozin's comet began its flight away from the world, leaving a small trail of light in its wake. Aang watched it fly off to the horizon before he heaved a great sigh.

Plop. Plop. Plop.

At that very moment, the sky darkened and it began to drizzle slightly. All those on the battlefield raised their heads to face the cloudy sky and allowed the rain drops to fall freely on their faces. The pitter-patter of the rain became faster and louder until the entire land was soaked under the torrents. But there was something different about this rain. This was not a destructive storm or a dangerous flood. This was a simply rain. Water falling from the sky. And the splash of every raindrop had a healing quality about it.

Everywhere, people were smiling and laughing as they stood out there, allowing themselves to get soaked in the rain, allowing the raindrops to wash away all the pain and suffering they had endured for a hundred years. Small streams of water had begun flowing along the land, as if cleansing it of all the impurities and destruction brought about by the war. Slowly but surely, a century's worth of damage was being washed away by the pouring rain.

There were shouts of joy. There was dancing. There were endless hugs and endless streams of joyful tears which mingled with the rainwater drenching people's faces. Friends who were separated during the battle now ran to one another and embraced, sharing their joy. Strangers were unified by the collective happiness of that day. Weapons were discarded, armor was tossed aside. Arms were raised in jubilation and songs of victory were sung. Many relished those moments of sublime freedom and peace, knowing that they would keep the memory of that fateful day forever in their hearts.

Between the countless hugs and congratulations, Aang smiled humbly. All their struggles had at last come to fruition. He looked towards the horizon, knowing that after the rain, a brighter day would dawn upon the world, the world he had helped save. The Avatar's heart had never been fuller than at that moment and he took a deep breath, as if inhaling all the wonderful things that were sure to come.

Somewhere on the field, Zuko and Katara stood together, hand in hand, with the waterbender's head resting on the firebender's shoulder, smiles of contentment illuminating their faces. They watched as the world had begun to change, had begun to restore itself. Zuko squeezed Katara's hand warmly. A beautiful future lay ahead of them, one unmarred by war or strife.

The time of chaos had past. Harmony was at last restored to the world.

--

_Whew._

_And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the final chapter. Thank you for joining me in this grand and ambitious literary odyssey._

_I'd like to say a special "thank you" to Kristoshi Warrior for her suggestion of Zuko and Katara riding the dragons. Thanks for that. :)  
_

_But wait, there will be an epilogue, though it will only be on a significantly smaller scale than any of the previous chapters. It will not have all the major characters in it though they will be mentioned of course. The epilogue will be nothing like the epilogue of the Avatar canon or the infamous epilogue of the "Harry Potter" series. I don't want to give too much away but suffice to say that the epilogue will have the same tone and style as the prologue of the story. That should enough for now. It is coming soon, quite soon, so don't worry. But the greater part of the story is already concluded in this chapter._

_Now for some apologies:_

_I apologize if this whole "judgment" arc seemed either too rushed or too dragging. It was extremely difficult to figure out the proper pacing for this essential part of the story but I tried my best to keep it as interesting and as vivid as possible. But it is still far from perfect and I am not completely satisfied with it._

_I apologize if I was not able to give much emphasis on some of the characters. Again, as I mentioned before, this is one of the challenges about writing as story based on one as complex as Avatar. There are so many interesting and important characters but it can be very challenging to do them all justice. I tried my best to let them have their roles throughout the story so that though they might not appear so prominently in the end, they did serve significant purposes in other parts of the story. Hopefully, this aspect of the story is not too disappointing._

_I apologize if you found the dialog strange or awkward. I try to keep everyone in character while adding a distinct style of my own._

_I apologize if this ending falls way below the scale and creativity of the canon ending. I am in no way competing with that (because I really can't) so please don't look at it that way. This is my own ending to an AU story so it's really incomparable to the canon ending._

_Nevertheless, I hope you were not too disappointed with this ending. I hope it was still interesting for you. It has been an amazing journey for me although it has cost me many hours of sleep. I have really appreciated all your support and feedback for the past several months. It has been your reviews and comments which have inspired me to continue this story and to exert much effort into crafting it. Thank you so much!_

_Whatever reactions you have to this chapter, please share them with me. I cannot stress enough how much your reviews are appreciated. :) I really look forward to reading them every time I post a chapter and they really make me smile. So leave a review, please (sorry for my persistence), but I really do love reading them._

_Since there still will be an epilogue, I will reserve my complete expression of gratitude for that part. Nevertheless, thank you all so much for your support!_


	26. Epilogue

**An Alliance of Traitors**

_Disclaimer: "Avatar: the Last Airbender" is among the things I regretfully do NOT own._

**--**

**EPILOGUE**

The road to the remote, high-security correctional facility was deserted.

Nevertheless, the lone traveler still felt the urge to look behind him, to make sure that no one was following him. The place was empty, of course, and there was no real need to be concerned. No one would be taking this road today of all days. He sighed with relief before turning back to his journey. A light breeze blew across the barren, rocky road. Accustomed to traveling with excessive care and stealth, he readjusted his hood, making it cover his face even more. Even on a deserted road, he felt eerily visible and vulnerable. Silence and disguise had become habits he simply could not shake off. He looked ahead and estimated how long it would take for him to reach his destination.

The prison was just beyond the next stony, grey hill. If nothing came in his way, he would arrive there in less than an hour. He trembled slightly, feeling his limbs weaken, a symptom of that ailment he had been suffering from since childhood. He covered his mouth as he coughed slightly. But he would not allow his physical limitations to deter him from his purpose. He trudged on with determination, breathing deeply as he resumed his journey.

There was nothing really to worry about. No one would stop him in his endeavor and no one even knew of his intentions, no one but he knew. And perhaps this was what made him so edgy and paranoid. After all, this was his personal mission, the fruition of all his efforts and pursuits. It was not a particularly pleasant prospect and it was quite far from the happy ending which so many were enjoying at present. Nevertheless, he knew that this had to be done. Her face flashed before him for an instance and he held on to the memory for as long as it could. He was doing this for him, and for her, as well. It was only by accomplishing this final, great feat that he would find the closure he had longed for all his life.

His golden eyes searched the horizon for any sign of the prison but nothing was there yet. He panted and struggled as he climbed up the rather steep incline. He grasped at the large, protruding stones to heave himself upward. He gritted his teeth as he endured the short climb. It was not that high and any other person would have been able to scale the distance with relative ease. But he was not in his best physical shape and even this simple task was proving to be a rather painful challenge for him. But he was determined, and this drive fueled his feeble muscles.

At last, he reached the crest of the hill and as he panted heavily, he looked ahead. Below, he could see the small but extremely secure prison. It was a bleak structure, surrounded by high walls and tiny slits for windows. The building was surrounded by miles and miles of barren wasteland, upon which no vegetation grew, no creatures could thrive, no life could exist. A lonely, desolate place, and the perfect prison for a cruel, terrible man.

The entire scene seemed so fitting that the traveler rested for a few moments to ponder the suitability of the venue, the utter isolation, and the certain misery that the lone captive surely felt within his empty, squalid cell. The painful memories that would plague the sole inhabitant, the regrets, the disappointments, and the failures which would replay themselves in his head and haunt his nightmares for the countless days to come. It was all very well. He deserved such a fate, and the whole world was better for it.

Many had been surprised when the young Avatar had chosen to spare the life of the Phoenix King. Although mercy and kindness were commendable virtues, these seemed rather unnecessary in his case. After all, the last airbender had just spared the life of a cruel, ruthless tyrant who would not have had second thoughts about killing the Avatar if he had been given the opportunity. Ozai, so many had believed, was beyond all redemption, beyond all mercy. He needed to be erased from the face of the earth. But the Avatar had declared that he had no right to take away anyone's life, even that of this horrible person. So instead of killing him, the young, gentle airbender had merely taken away his powers.

This, in itself, was no mean feat. After all, not only was Aang removing Ozai's ability to firebend but also the powers of intensified airbending, earthbending, and waterbending that Ozai had stolen from him by using the key that had truly belonged to the Avatar. The boy was not only denying his enemy of his greatest weapons, but he was also reclaiming all the powers which were rightfully his, his own inheritance from his previous lives. And when this had been done, when the former Phoenix King had been emptied of all his strength, humbled and brought down lower than he could have ever imagined, he was sent away, banished, as so many had been during his reign (even his own son who was now to replace him as Fire Lord) to this barren, forsaken place, where he would spend the rest of his days pondering on his disgrace and failure.

As he approached the entrance of the prison, the hooded man could not help but think that perhaps this punishment was even crueler than death itself. He did not attribute any cruelty or ill will to the Avatar, of course, since he knew well, as many did, that the gentle airbender was incapable of such hatred towards his fellowman. But still, such isolation and oblivion must have been torment to the man accustomed to power, acclaim, control, and recognition.

At last, the traveler stood at the threshold at the prison, guarded by a couple of disgruntled looking soldiers. They looked curtly at him as he showed them the seal of the Fire Nation royal palace that he had been given as a special privilege for his participation in the former rebel army. Looking at him and deciding that he was harmless, they let him enter the cell without any further questions. He thanked them and stepped into the narrow hall which led to the door that opened to the small space where visitors (who would not come, of course) could stand and glance at the wretched prisoner.

The guards did not concern themselves with his purpose for being there, they had no desire to do anything beyond the call of duty. He pitied them somewhat. Their position, after all was not enviable. After all, here they were, in a remote, barren prison, guarding a captive whom they hated more than anyone else while the rest of the world was celebrating its liberation from a hundred years of war and suffering. These were happier times.

Today was the eve of the coronation of the new Fire Lord, the formerly banished Prince Zuko. Once determined to capture the Avatar to restore his honor, the young firebender had chosen a different path and become a staunch and valuable ally to the airbender. Zuko was still nervous and apprehensive about what lay ahead of him but he was also strongly resolved to make amends for the damages caused by the Fire Lords who reigned before him.

The true heir to the throne was Ozai's older brother, the Dragon of the West, General Iroh, the older man had relinquished his claim to the crown and gladly bequeathed it to his beloved nephew, one whom he had loved and treated like his own son. Iroh had chosen to retire from the military and from politics and turn to a simpler life of peace, prosperity, and Pai Sho. He reopened his beloved tea shop, the Jasmine Dragon, in the walled Earth Kingdom city of Ba Sing Se. He assured his nephew that he would visit the Fire Nation every now and then to give the young Fire Lord counsel and wisdom but he also said that he trusted that Zuko would be able to make wise and informed decisions of his own. The older firebender understood that to usher in the new era of peace and harmony, he had to leave the world largely in the hands of the younger generation. The future was theirs to mold and fortify.

Another significant event that would be held simultaneously with the coronation would be the long-awaited wedding of Fire Lord Zuko to the renowned waterbending master, Katara of the Water Tribe. Their union would prove to be a very convenient political alliance since Katara, though originally of the Southern Water Tribe, had trained under the great Master Pakku of the Northern Water Tribe, and therefore she represented both groups. The marriage would cement intercultural relations between the two formerly warring countries, and to establish newer and more peaceful activities between the Fire Nation and the Water Tribes. And most importantly, the wedding would be the formal unification of two individuals whose love and devotion to one another had passed the test of many heavy trials. This would also mark one of the happiest royal weddings in Fire Nation history.

Other notables who would be present at the ceremony aside from the bride's immediate family (and selected members of the groom's family, for obvious reasons), were the Avatar himself, dearly considered a member of their combined and extended family, his earthbending master, Toph Bei Fong, and a number of other close friends. The Avatar's presence was also to show the restored friendship between him and the Fire Lord (like that of the previous generation, Roku and Sozin). Fire Lord Zuko also hoped to through this friendship, begin making amends for his great-grandfather's wiping out of the Air Nomads. For the moment, of course, there was only one airbender left, but there was talk that this circumstance might soon change. Nothing was absolutely certain at this juncture, but there was enough talk going around about the eligibility of the growing young airbender.

At first, people had thought that Aang was in love with Katara but seeing as she was soon going to marry Zuko, they knew that circumstances had clearly changed. Nevertheless, those who had observed the content expression that the boy wore over the past few days, as he recovered from his injuries, and prepared for the role he would play in the future, could sense that he was happy for the couple, not at all jealous, and that somehow his heart had an object. His air was cheerful and he enjoyed the company of all his closest friends. No one could be certain, but it really seemed that the Avatar was not going to be basking in loneliness any time soon. And this particular cheerfulness of disposition he had had nothing to do with his recent victory against the Phoenix King and the fulfillment of his destiny. It was a joy that had a specific source.

Some speculated that his happiness had something to do with a certain earthbender. Others disagreed and argued that a young Fire Nation girl named On Ji who had helped tend to his wounds had caught his eye. Others still argued that he was enamored with an Earth Kingdom girl named Meng with funny hair and an obvious affection for him. But no one could be entirely sure.

The only thing about the Avatar which was incontestable was that he was happy, and not the least bit lonely. How soon and with whom his happiness would be complete were still mysteries.

Speaking of the earthbender, Toph Bei Fong would definitely be present at the wedding, being one of the bride's closest female friends, as dear to her as a sister. Katara of course did not impose the feminine niceties and glamor which Toph had despised so much but nevertheless, out of affection for her friend, the blind earthbender decided to dress up for the occasion. She still refused to wear shoes, though.

Quite recently Toph had been joyfully reunited and reconciled with her own family and she was now enjoying both the freedom and the love and acceptance that she had always longed for. She had decided to travel around the Earth Kingdom and to teach earthbending to some talented children with disabilities, to inspire them to become more than what they are. She also kept very close and friendly relations with King Bumi of Omashu, who had become quite fond of her. They would spar with each other whenever they had the opportunity and then, exchange earthbending tips with one another afterwards. Toph's life and happiness were hers to explore freely, and she was very happy about it.

The earthbender was also proving to be an invaluable asset when it came to fostering international relations with the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom. Zuko's plans were to re-solidify an alliance with the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom to avoid conflict and to foster better communication among all peoples. He wanted to help rebuild the Four Nations into a world of tolerance, respect, freedom, and justice. He was every bit as idealistic as Iroh had hoped he would be and there seemed so much promise for the future with the new alliances burgeoning from old conflicts.

Katara's relatives were more than happy to accept her future husband into their tight-knit family. When she had introduced her fiance to Gran-gran, and to Grampakku as well, both she and Zuko had been apprehensive at first, considering how the old lady had first encountered the firebender. Luckily, all such unpleasant meetings had been forgotten and Gran-gran had instantly pinched Zuko's cheeks with approval.

Her older brother Sokka, just recently married to Suki, the leader of the Kyoshi warriors, had developed a brotherly bond with the firebender although their approaches to life were very different. Sokka was still trying to teach Zuko to have a sense of humor and Zuko was still resisting Sokka's excruciating brand of hilarity. Nevertheless, they were both eager to become officially related to one another.

Sokka was also in training to succeed his father, Hakoda, as chief of the Southern Water Tribe. The older warrior was exceedingly proud of both his children and was equally thrilled to welcome Zuko into the family. Zuko had a profound respect for the chief and Hakoda too had developed a fondness for the firebender, as well as for a certain member of Zuko's family. The older Water Tribe Warrior had yet to act on these circumstances but many slyly suspected that he would soon be making his move. Fortunately, his children heartily approved, and even Zuko was drawn into a mischievous conspiracy.

After all, it was not for nothing that the future Fire Lord's aunt, Melisande, was appointed as an ambassador to the Southern Water Tribe. Initially, the former duchess had raised her eyebrows at this, but she made no objection to it whatsoever. Katara and Zuko had talked about the matter amongst themselves and they concluded that perhaps though Melisande had some suspicions about their true motives for that appointment, she was more pleased with it than she cared to admit. It was not a bad prospect at all. And the more the future royal couple discussed it, the more they looked forward to another possible alliance between their two countries, and more importantly, their two families.

Zuko's mother Ursa, of course, would be attending the ceremony as well and she too looked forward to adding Katara to the family. The gentle twin of Melisande was as happy and proud as any mother could be for her son and she had hinted, as subtly as she could, that she had a desire for grandchildren. She had always wanted a big and happy family, a circumstance which had been denied to her for quite some time.

Zuko's current family situation, after all, was still far from perfect and there were certain wounds that were still in the process of healing. His father was imprisoned in a remote facility, and there were absolutely no chances of reconciliation there. But his younger sister, Azula, was currently staying in their family's rest house on Ember Island, recovering from all that she had endured during the final battle.

The heaviest burden which Azula had had to bear so far was the loss of her powers. The great spirit had been right about this being a truly heavy punishment to her. For the first time in her life, Azula experienced what it was like to be helplessly dependent on other people. She hated not being in control, not being in charge, but her significantly weakened physical condition gave her no choice. This time, other people were deciding what to do with her and she had absolutely no say in her own life (at least for the time being). Having no alternative was all the more frustrating for her.

After the harsh judgment of the fire spirit, Zuko had decided that his sister needed time not only to heal but to re-evaluate her priorities. He was aware that in spite of the punishment already dealt to Azula by the Spirit, there were still many who wanted to see her locked up in a cell somewhere. But since he was a compassionate brother and Fire Lord, he had decided to keep Azula confined in house arrest on Ember Island, far away from potential threats and enemies. Ursa had also decided to stay with her daughter during her confinement, to care for Azula and nurse her wounds (physical and emotional), to give her the attention that Azula felts she was deprived of, and to show Azula that she truly loved her daughter very much.

In spite of Ursa's temporary absence, Azula would still not be left alone on Ember Island. With her were her two former companions Mai and Ty Lee who had opted to stay with the distraught princess though Azula still held a grudge against them for betraying her in Ba Sing Se. Nevertheless, she tolerated their presence and could do no harm more than the occasional acidic statement which they were more than used to and merely ignored. Another notable companion of the princess was the love sick earthbender Haru, who also volunteered to stay on the island. In spite of all that had happened, he continued to feel deeply for the former firebending prodigy and though Azula was resentful of and repulsed by his presence, other than firing the occasional insult about his race, she did no further damage to his feelings. She was loath to admit it but she was slightly intrigued by him now that she had nothing else to focus on. Besides, he looked so much more becoming without the facial hair.

It would take some time for the rift between Azula and her family to be closed but somehow, Zuko and Ursa were taking the initiative (that Azula would surely never do) to patch things up in the family. Zuko was not as optimistic as his mother when it came to believing that Azula would reform herself completely, but he did hope that she would no longer nourish too much hatred and anger towards everyone. He had learned so much from his experiences as a banished prince and he hoped that her stay on the island would teach her something valuable as well.

The coronation and wedding were to be jubilant celebrations indeed and everyone was looking forward to these events with great fervor and almost feverish anticipation. All this was why it seemed so peculiar that someone was not currently at the Fire Nation capital, but instead, traveled miles and miles away from the celebration and into this cold, bleak dungeon.

The hooded man sighed. He had actually wanted to be at the feast as well. In fact, he had been personally invited by several of the important people there. He had smiled and nodded politely to their requests but he had silently declined them. He was not averse to the occasion, of course.

Just then, he broke into a loud fit of coughs, the noise echoing across the narrow hall. He covered his mouth and clutched at his chest until the fit subsided. He took a deep breath before walking and standing in front of the metal door that lead to the inner chamber, where the lone prisoner was behind bars and a visitor could stand a few feet away from him.

He was running out of time, the stranger thought. It wasn't that he didn't want to see Zuko crowned Fire Lord and married to Katara. It was just that there was something more urgent, and more important for him to do. And it was of such gravity that it could not possibly be delayed. And only he knew about it.

Carefully and determinedly, Notho Zaides opened the door and stepped into the inner chamber. His eyes adjusted themselves to the darkness and he shivered slightly, not from the cold of the prison, but from the sight of the lone, pathetic captive huddled like a miserable heap in one dank corner.

Ozai did not even bother to raise his head to look at his visitor. The fallen Fire Lord could not care any less for the presence of another in that sorry dungeon. He was dressed in filthy, torn rags, and he lay against the cold stone wall limply. His long dark hair was extremely disheveled and stuck to his face as he bent his head lazily, his once blazing eyes now reduced to languishing embers. The Avatar had taken more than just his bending. Ozai was now no more than a shadow of what he had once been. And it looked like he had no intention of budging from his current position.

Notho Zaides pulled down his hood and took another good look at the broken man before him. Ozai faced him but no hint of recognition passed the older man's face. The prisoner maintained his silence. This reaction had been expected.

"You have no idea who I am, do you?" Notho Zaides said simply. Ozai did not even lift his head, showing his indifference. This did not bother the visitor in the least.

"I suppose not," Notho Zaides continued, as if speaking more to himself than to Ozai, "you never would have noticed me enough to remember this forgettable face. And yet, I proved to be a threat enough that you still sent that bounty hunter to capture me."

Ozai looked up suddenly, his interest sparked by this last statement. Notho smiled with dark satisfaction. It seemed that he had finally caught Ozai's attention. Slowly, the prisoner rose from his position, craning his neck slightly to get a better look at the speaker. Ozai narrowed his eyes, their expression that of utter hatred, as he stared at the man before him. Notho said nothing as he was being appraised thus.

"You finally remembered me after all, _Phoenix King,_" Notho remarked with sarcasm. His face was a stony mask as he returned Ozai's wrathful gaze. The longer Ozai stared at him, the more his anger seemed to grow.

"We meet at last, filthy traitor," Ozai finally spoke in a voice slightly raspy from disuse but still dripping with complete and utter loathing. He glared at Notho through the bars of the prison. Ozai took a few steps towards the visitor, standing as straight as he could manage to. He was determined not to look weak and frail before this pathetic peasant. Somehow, the Avatar had not been able to take away all of the former Phoenix King's insufferable pride.

At his full height, Ozai towered over the other man and the fallen prisoner now had the slight satisfaction of looking down at his companion. This visit had been most unexpected and though he had no real interest in Notho Zaides, Ozai was still slightly curious at how this meeting would turn out. While it was true that Ozai no longer had his bending or former physical strength, he still wanted to make a lasting impression, especially on this weak, audacious upstart who dared to show his face to him. If he couldn't beat this man physically, Ozai at least wanted to verbally abuse him.

"You weak, pathetic coward," Ozai began, his venom ready, "you only dare show your face to me now that I am in no position to harm you. Only now do you have the gall to reveal yourself to me. But all those plots you were involved in, those so-called secret schemes to overthrow me, and to even have me killed, I uncovered them all! And I discovered your treachery! Even as you tried to hide in the shadows, I found traces of your existence!"

"And yet, here I am, alive and safe, contrary to all your expectations," Notho Zaides replied coolly and audaciously, taunting the prisoner. Ozai gritted his teeth in anger.

"How dare you?" he spat back, "you are only here because the bounty hunter proved to be disloyal and incompetent. If I took the time to get rid of lowly vermin like you, your corpse would be feasted on by maggots by now!"

"But you didn't pay that much attention to me," Notho replied tauntingly, "you miscalculated, and now you're paying the price."

Again, Ozai was further enraged by this, and unable to control himself any longer, he extended his hands out between the metal bars and grabbed Notho Zaides' neck, tightly squeezing and beginning to strangle him. The younger man was able to resist the force of Ozai's hands at least to delay the strangling but Notho Zaides was still struggling to breathe. And yet, he didn't seem at all surprised. Ozai found this composure peculiar and narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Why are you really here?" the prisoner asked menacingly. The prisoner's grip on his victim's neck was not as strong as he imagined it to be. Ozai had overestimated his own strength and failed to notice that now his victim had gripped his frail hands even stronger.

Notho Zaides glared back at Ozai, the former with his golden stare piercing through Ozai's gaze. And for a brief moment, Ozai's eyes widened in incomprehensible recognition.

"To deal with some unfinished business," Notho Zaides replied simply, at the same time brandishing a weapon that he had hidden under his cloak, and plunging the blade deep into

Ozai's chest.

The prisoner immediately let go of the other one's neck, as he fell to the floor, clutching at his bleeding wound. Notho Zaides fell a few steps back as well, taking many deep breaths, and holding his neck carefully. And even as his blood flowed out of him, Ozai felt a burning, searing pain shoot through his body, a pain that not even the sharpest dagger could produce. He screamed in agony as he realized that the blade had been poisoned. Ozai glared with hatred at the panting figure of Notho Zaides who watched calmly as Ozai writhed in pain.

"The juice of the Python Lotus," Notho Zaides stated simply, as if answering Ozai's silent question, "the same poison you used to kill my mother."

Even in his throes of utter pain, Ozai was still able to look stunned at his killer's revelation. Through his bouts of agony, he was still able to speak, albeit with difficulty.

"That whore," was all he was able to mouth through gritted teeth, "that living disgrace."

At the mention of such an obscene name, Notho Zaides frowned angrily for the first time.

"That _whore_ was my mother," Notho Zaides screamed at the bleeding man, "and you killed her! And for what? To hide the evidence of your own shame and disgrace, to conceal the result of _your _foolish mistakes!"

"You," Ozai said faintly as his wound continued to torture him, the poison spreading quickly through his system, "her bastard survived."

"I'm your bastard too," Notho Zaides replied coldly, "and I barely survived. But I know what you did and I have spent my whole life planning this day, the day I avenge my mother's death."

Notho Zaides watched bitterly as Ozai continued to thrash and shake, while blood continued to form a larger pool on the floor.

"I had once believed that the Avatar would do this service for me," Notho Zaides said softly as Ozai's life ebbed out of him, "but when he spared you I realized that I was being given the opportunity to finish the job myself. And I would not have had it any other way."

Then, with that, he was gone, nothing but a lifeless heap of flesh on a blood-soaked floor. Notho Zaides stared down at the corpse silently. There was no real satisfaction here or triumphant, only a sense that he had finally accomplished an important task.

It was then that he felt that familiar stab of pain. This time, it came stronger than it had before and in that instant, Notho Zaides knew that his time had come. He fell to the ground, clutching at his chest and gritting his teeth as he bore the pain.

He had barely survived when his mother was poisoned, and he had been born weak and frail, with a disease that had come as a side effect of the poison he had been exposed to while still in his mother's womb. He knew that this day would come soon and he had long ago accepted that he would not grow to a ripe old age. And yet, he felt grateful that he had lived just long enough to see this through.

He had his regrets and misgivings. Now that the world was being built anew, he would have wanted to be a part of it. But it was not to be. At least, he had still managed to witness the end of the war.

And as Notho Zaides was taking his last breaths, pondering on all that he had endured in his short life, someone burst through the door. And immediately, Notho Zaides felt himself cradled in the arms of Lady Melisande, who fretted and worried over him. But through his pain, he still managed to smile at her weakly.

She had been one of those who had personally invited him to the wedding and coronation. And when she noticed his absence, she suspected something, though she was not sure of what it was. There had always been something hauntingly but incomprehensibly familiar about Notho Zaides. After the final battle, she had done a thorough background check on him. It was only earlier that day that she had discovered his true identity, from old records and a journal of his mother. So she had followed him here and had reached him just in time.

"Hold on," she urged him tearfully, "hold on. If only I had known this sooner."

"There was nothing you could have done to prevent this," he replied calmly, "my time has come."

"But--," she protested, only to be interrupted by him. He motioned weakly to Ozai's bloody cadaver.

"It is done," he said simply, "the cycle is broken. My brother is untainted."

He would bear the final burden of the sins of his fathers, he would be the last of their line to go against his own flesh and blood. The curse of their family, if it could be called that, was broken at last. And Zuko now had the chance to begin with a clean slate, to atone for his family's transgressions, to cleanse their name.

Melisande blinked back tears but she knew that there was nothing she could do to save Notho Zaides now. So instead, she simply held him tight. He coughed loudly.

"I am glad," he said softly, "that I lived to see the Avatar bring peace to this world."

"The world is going to be a very different place now," Melisande told him gently. He nodded faintly at her.

"A better place," he whispered before taking his final breath, his chest heaving. Then, he was gone as well, and Melisande hugged his body tightly, grieving for this devastating loss. Carefully, Melisande closed his eyes and laid his body down on the cold stone floor.

Melisande knew that Zuko deserved to know the truth about what had just happened, about whom they had lost so unexpectedly, the brother he had never known. But for now, she would conceal the unhappy truth for as long as it was necessary. There would be a proper time to let them know. But not now, Notho Zaides would not have wanted to spoil the joyful occasion.

The world had changed.

These were happier times.

-FIN-

_Thank you very, very much for everything._

_I know that this was a very dark and slightly tragic ending but this was my original plan. I was apprehensive about it at first but I could not simply let go of it. This needed to happen. I don't know how you will like/dislike/hate this ending but I hope this epilogue doesn't make you hate the entire story completely. It's just a side event, significant, but not necessarily part of the main cast interaction._

_I'm sorry if this disappointed any of you and I will appreciate whatever you have to say on the matter. Nevertheless, I am still so very grateful to all of you, dear readers, for sticking with me until the end. Thank you. If you have any questions or clarifications, please leave a review or send me a PM and I'd be happy to answer you._

_Like I mentioned before, this has been my longest, hardest, and most ambitious writing project ever and I really spent so much time and effort to try and produce something worthwhile. I tried my best to keep the story exciting and the characters in character. I know that in many ways the story is far from perfect; I am not completely satisfied with it in some respects but I am also quite proud of it._

_This has been a very different story from "Sojourn in Solitude" although it traces the events that followed that story. I hope that, as a sequel, it did not disappoint all those who requested for it._

_I'm sorry if the updates have not been as regular as you would have wanted them and that there were sometimes really long delays between uploading chapters. Thank you for bearing with me. Your support and feedback have been what inspired me to keep writing even when I sometimes found myself stuck somewhere._

_So thank you to everyone who left a review for this story: solarecilpse, pfnelly, lazyguy90,Fire-of-the-Sun, NorthernLights25, spinners0end, Luiz4200, musiclover9419, JC, Pepipanda, Illico, ElementUchihaMaster, TheLastNight57, ZutaraFan4, mT, Bonnie, Tea, Sakura Taichou, arizony, avatargirl92008, Manola3, Gaby, AnimeFanGirlWrites4ever, HarmoniousPie_

_And thank you to all those who added this story to their favorites: AnimeFanGirlWrites4ever, ArrayePL, Fayari, Fire-of-the-Sun, Khajmer, Kristoshi Warrior, Pepipanda, Sakura Taichou, TheLastNight57, arizony, kurokinshiro, musiclover9419, pfnelly_

_As for those who added this to their alerts, thank you, and you won't need to wait for updates any longer: 13AnimE13, Evelyn Rose, Fayari, Fire-of-the-Sun, Illico, Khajmer, Kristoshi Warrior, Lady Padfoot21, Luiz4200, Pepipanda, Sakura Taichou, SurvivalHorror, TheLastNight57, angstar54, arizony, gred18850, hellbutterfly421, ktsvillefan, mkabalt, musiclover9419, pfnelly, solarecilpse_

_And thank you to AnimeFanGirlWrites4ever for adding my story to your "Avatar Action" C2. I'm glad you liked it that much._

_I'd also like to thank those who added me to their "Author Alert" or "Favorite Authors" list after reading this story. Your support is very much appreciated._

_An especially bigger "THANK YOU" to those who have stuck with me since "Sojourn in Solitude"! Your support has been so beautiful!_

_To everyone who will leave a review to the story in the future, or add this to your favorites, thank you in advance and I really appreciate your support!_

_On the future:_

_I currently do not have any ideas whatsoever for a continuation of this story. As of now, as far as I'm concerned, this is the end. Well, I will admit that I have some lingering ideas for maybe a one-shot or two, or maybe short pieces focusing on Azula's exile and the rocky road to reconciliation for the Fire Nation family. But nothing is fully materialized yet. If you have any concerns about this (suggestions, recommendations), I'd be happy to hear from you and I'll try my best to accommodate any requests as soon as I find the time/energy. The prospect of a trilogy is both tempting and daunting._

_I won't be writing any new fan fiction for quite some time. Whatever free time I have I will devote to finishing "Just Some Water Tribe Ingenuity" which is vastly different from this story, much lighter, and more frivolous._

_Once I complete that project I might go on hiatus from writing Avatar fan fiction, to focus on my other unfinished stories._

_Or I may take a break from fan fiction writing altogether since school work has become even more challenging than I anticipated and I really want to prioritize doing well in my studies. And the well of my so-called creativity is rather dry since my energies have been focused elsewhere._

_But again, I will try to entertain all your requests and comments. Just send me a PM anytime._

"_Parting is such sweet sorrow." This feels very bittersweet indeed but it is necessary. The journey ends here, my friends, at least for now._


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